And They All Lived Happily Ever After Or Not
by JenCort81
Summary: This is a post 2X13 fic that takes an AU turn. A story of lost love and tragedy. Only children and the foolish believed in magic and fairytales of happy endings. No one knew that better that those of the UES. Ships CxB,DxS,& NxV
1. Prologue

**And They All Lived Happil…Or Not**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Okay guys this is my first GG fic. I'm having a great time working on this and hope you enjoy reading it. This is a post 2X13 fic that takes an AU turn. A story of lost love and tragedy. Only children and the foolish believed in magic and fairytales of happy endings. No one knew that better that those of the UES. Did they really have it all or was love as elusive and tragedy as rampant for the UESers as everyone else. This is very much a CxB story with DxS, & NxV and everything else somewhere in there in between. I'm not sure what else to tell you. So please read on and enjoy the ride. I know I am. And huge thanks to my girl Lynnie for nudging me right over the edge. Love ya, hon.

Prologue

There was no such thing as "happily ever after." She'd figured that out after years spent watching her mother chase that elusive happy ending with one man after another. She and Blair would curl up around Dorota, listening as Cinderella lost and found her prince. Sighing at all the right parts, like when Aurora ended her eternal sleep and her kingdom reawakened with one sweet kiss. Serena stopped believing in fairytales long ago. Not Blair, though. Her best friend held on to hope and magic of those stories.

Sure Blair stopped pretending she was Belle, the day she fell in love with Audrey, but still… B loved her happy endings. She'd had her entire life plan laid out, with Nate as her prince by the time they hit middle school.

It'd been years before the blinders fell away and real-life taught Blair what Serena always knew. She'd played her part in her best friend's disillusionment but damn if Chuck hadn't done the rest. Serena shook her head, disbelief tangling her up inside.

A year. Just one year ago things had been different. Bart was alive. And her Mom had been happy. She'd seen them together. No matter what was happening now, she knew her Mom had felt something for Chuck's father. She'd been so mad at Chuck for ditching Blair, but then B came back with Lord Marcus and she'd watched them. Sniping. Hurting. In Love and not sure what the hell to do with it. Crazy but they'd made her feel hopeful and then Dan had shown up. For just a little while she'd started hoping…believing in those fairytales again. Just as quickly though. Everything fell apart again.

Teeth gnawing at her bottom lip, Serena reached for her phone, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of herself and Blair. Adorned in their caps and gowns, they'd laughed that day. Truly happy and joking. Making plans for the fall and Yale. Everyone had been there that day to cheer on the graduating class. Vanessa arrived with the Humphrey family but ended up sitting with Nate's mother. Harold and Roman had flown in. They'd sat with Lily and the Roses. Okay so not everybody made it. She hadn't spoken to Aaron since their disastrous trip to Argentina. And Chuck.

Chuck didn't make that last minute appearance as Blair hoped. As they all had. No matter how many times B pretended to be looking for her mother and Dorota, Serena had known exactly who her friend tried to spot in the crowd. She'd hidden her disappointment well from everyone except Serena.

"B, you okay?" Serena remembered asking, worrying her lip.

Caught, Blair had turned around offering an over bright smile that did nothing for the shadows in her eyes. "Hmm? I'm fine, S. I guess it's better that Nelly beat us out for valedictorian. Sorry, but I don't think I could handle losing to Cabbage Patch on top of everything else…"

Unerring, Serena's eyes had zeroed in on the back of Dan's head. "He got into Berkeley…"

"He did?"

"Yeah. Jenny told Eric about it. He just heard a few days ago."

"That's great. I guess, right?" Blair had shaken off her own concerns for the moment, worry coloring her voice as she studied her best friend. "You're happy about this, aren't you? We won't be running into him next fall. No more stilted conversations. No more failed attempts at friendship."

"Of course, I'm glad, B. It's a great opportunity. He and Rufus are flying to San Francisco in a few weeks. He got accepted to some summer program. It's good." She'd cringed inwardly, she tried for one of Blair's "everything's perfect, see I'm not falling apart" smiles and failed miserably

Thankfully before Blair had a chance to call her on it, Nelly was finished and it was time to walk across the stage. They'd checked one another's hair and make-up. They took that day to smile and pretend that everything was okay. That she wasn't still missing Dan. That Blair wasn't searching for Chuck's face at every turn. They were just two girls with their entire lives ahead of them.

"Excuse me, Miss." A gentle hand shook Serena, taking her away from her thoughts. "You'll need to buckle up. We'll be landing soon."

"Oh, yes. Thank you." Serena nodded, offering the other woman a distracted smile. Finally! After months without a word. Hours crammed in between one bastard leering down her blouse and another guy who reeked of bourbon and peppermint. She still wasn't sure what she wanted to do most when she finally laid eyes on her wayward brother. Hug him or hurt him.

Her eyes flickering back to the photo on her phone and she wanted to hurt him.

~*~

Lily fidgeted, tamping down on the urge to check her watch or reach for the phone that she so decisively sat on the coffeetable minutes before. She tried to force her attention to the television. The title of the daytime soap looked familiar but the people were alien to her. It didn't matter, though, the characters' words barely reached her. Her thoughts literally miles away. Solely on the new drama taking place in her own family. So much going on and they were all helpless to do anything.

She glanced at Eric. Her sweet boy. He'd become her rock after Bart's death. After Rufus stopped speaking to her. She shook her head. Not today. She couldn't think about him today. Any of it. All her thoughts would be for her family today. For Charles. Dammit. Why hadn't Serena called yet?

She really should've gone with her but she and Charles hadn't been on the best of terms, not the last time they'd seen one another.

His gaze unwavering from the television screen, Eric sighed, flipping from one program to another. "That never works you know."

Seconds passed before her son's voice reached her. "I'm sorry?"

"Staring at the phone. Not going to make Serena call us any faster."

"I know, sweetheart." Lily grimaced, giving in she grabbed the silent phone. Juggling it between her figeting hands. She dragged in a shaky sigh. "I just want to know that she's found him and that they're on their way home. Dammit, I should've at least asked Jack to go with her."

"He's too busy with all his deals and meetings." Eric rolled his eyes. "Besides, if we'd said anything Chuck would just take off for parts unknown again."

"Maybe not."

"Yes. Everytime we've been sure that we finally tracked him down Chuck just disappears. Always one step ahead. If Carter hadn't called…" Eric raked a hand through his hair, growling his frustration.

"Thank God he did."

"Have you tried reaching Eleanor again?"

"She's not taking my calls anymore, sweetheart." Lily smiled humorlessly, "Our last—uh discussion didn't end on the best of terms."

"Why is she doing this?"

"She wants the best for Blair. Eleanor is doing what she—what she…" Lily fell silent for a moment, swallowing the ball of emotion suddenly lodged in her throat. "Eleanor has made her decision clear on this issue."

"Dammit." Eric tossed the remote away, disgust clear in his features. He was immediately remorseful. "I'm sorry, Mom. It's just not fair."

"I know, baby." She reached out, wrapping one arm around his shoulders. Her eyes wandered back to the phone. Willing it to ring as Eric had accused her earlier. "Come on, Serena. We're running out of time here."

~*~

The bitch was certifiable. Chuck pressed the heel of his hand against his left eye where his dear sister had popped him. Before he could asked her what the fuck was going on in that dim, blond head she'd further shocked him by hugging him close as if her life depended on it.

He waved off his security team, making their way through the dancing bodies. His two dance partners carried on without him, putting on a show to regain his attention.

For just a moment he didn't speak. Didn't let himself think too hard. He hugged her back. "Nice to be missed, S."

"It's time to come home, Chuck."

He stiffened at that. Going cold inside. He sneered, letting his hands drift lower down her back. "Nice indeed."

Serena pulled away, aiming a solid punch to his chest.

"Ow." He rubbed at his chest. Why were people always hitting him? Damn. "S&M, sis? Kinky. Didn't figure that being your thing."

"Chuck, stop talking. Please." She raised sad eyes to his face.

He curled his lip further as his hands slipped into his pockets. He tried glaring her down but served only to irritate his sore eye. "What the hell are you even doing here?"

"I told you. I'm came to bring you home."

There was that word again. He tamped down on the longing that pulled him. He didn't have a home. He reminded himself. That wasn't his room anymore. Lily wasn't his mom. She didn't give a damn about him. If anything she probably felt guilty for betraying his father.

He was Chuck "Fucking" Bass. He didn't need Lily's guilt or Serena's pity. He didn't need anything or anybody. His heart raced and mind refuted that declaration, reminding him of brown eyes…filled with love. Asking nothing from him. Only offering solace.

No!! He counted silently. Grabbed a drink from a passing waiter and downed it with two gulps, the liquid burning a flaming path down his throat and firing his belly. He gasped. Mind jumbled and clear in one moment.

"Chuck, please." Serena brought it all back. Damn her.

"I don't have a home. Get the hell out of here, Serena." He wasn't even going to ask how she'd tracked him down. He'd seen that asshole Baizen lurking about the other night.

She shoved at his shoulder, reminding him of the other pushy woman in his life. I don't miss her. I don't miss her. Why wouldn't they all just go the fuck away and leave him in peace.

"Would you stop hitting me. Dammit." He was more than tempted to let his security team get rid of her.

"I will when you stop being an ass. You have to come with me. Now." Urgency leaked into her voice, bringing his attention back to her and away from memories drowning him in brown eyes, soft skin, and ruby lips. His eyes narrowed on Serena's face, finally reading the worry and fear in her eyes.

"Blair."

He said it. Her name a curse. A prayer.

Serena's entire body shook as dealt a physical blow. Her face clouded and she looked ready to lose her shit right there in the middle of the crowded nightclub. She dragged in a deep breath, closing her eyes and reached for control, "Yes. It's Blair. She needs you. It's bad, Chuck. We have to get home. We need to get to back to B."

Bodies writhing around them and music shook the floor beneath them. Despite the drugs and alcohol buzzing around his system, Chuck felt more sober than he'd felt in months. Two words intermingling, becoming one. Signifying one thing. Blair. Home. Blair.

TBC

And review. Let me know what you're thinking.


	2. Chapter 1

**And They All Lived Happily Ever After…Or Not**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Wow. Thanks to everyone who took the time to let me know what you're thinking. I'm extremely happy that you're enjoying the story because I'm just having a ball writing this. So seriously thanks and stick with me because if you were intrigued before…well, you just have to keep on reading. Thanks again to Lynnie, all my girls at fanforum, and the reviewers for your support…It most definitely helps.

**Chapter 1**

Five years later

"I thought I might find you here."

He felt moved under his back, as her heels demolished, colorful dead leaves underfoot. She threaded one arm through his and he allowed himself to be pulled close.

"Six years today. Can you believe it?" Lily sighed.

"No." Chuck whispered. His focus was on the two gravestones, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He tried to remember the man his father had been. He reminded himself of all the mistakes made so that he didn't end up repeating them.

Lily cleared her throat as the silence dragged on. "He'd be so proud of you. You've done well for yourself and for the company."

He tried to find solace in her words, even after all the time past. But he'd never really know what it felt like to have Bart Bass consider him with pride.

"I'm intruding, aren't I?" She started to pull away.

"No. Not at all. I'm glad you came." He told her, "Listen I needed to ask you a favor about this weekend. I've got a trip coming up. Can't be avoided."

Lily smiled, patting his hand. "Yes I did hear something about it. Eric has quite a few plans for Alex and the girls."

"I hate going away. Even for a handful of days."

"Charles, you can't exactly keep them in your pocket all their lives."

"You sure?"

"Yes. You can't hold on forever. No matter how much it hurts to let go." She glanced down at Bart's headstone. Trying to lighten the mood, she smiled "Besides, what are you going to do when they start noticing boys?"

"I've looked into that already and it's called homeschooling."

"Be serious."

"You're laughing. I'm not." Smiling despite his words, Chuck pulled away long enough to arrange the flowers he'd brought for both his mother and father. "Love you guys." The words came out gruff and unfamiliar, as if his old man actually stood before him hearing those words.

Lily stepped back giving a moment. He remained there, head bowed as seconds turned to minutes. She couldn't help but remember that morning outside the Palace. He'd looked so dejected. So disappointed. She knew he didn't believe her when she said that Bart would be proud of the man he'd become, but she truly did think so. He'd grown up.

Love welled up, dragging a sigh from her. Love and sadness. She might not have given birth to him but he was hers. As surely as Serena and Eric were. All she wanted was for her children to be happy. Despite the fact that they surrounded him with family and he had the girls, he seemed so sad at times. Lonely. What she wouldn't give to be able to fix this for him. For them all.

"Ready?" He stood slowly, offering Lily his arm and a reassuring smile.

"I was wondering if you might be able to spare an hour for lunch. There's something that I've been wanting to discuss with you." Lily said, wishing that she didn't have to bring it now. Not here, but he'd be leaving town soon.

Chuck groaned. Not again. "Lily, you know I love you. But the Frampton girl is a compl…"

She smiled. "No, sweetheart. I already promised. No more setups."

"Good." Heaving a sigh of relief, it took a few moments before the worry in her voice sank in. "Is something wrong? You're not sick, are you?"

"No. God, no. Nothing like that. I promise."

He didn't know exactly how scared he'd been until settled in his chest. "What is it, then?"

"Eleanor."

Chuck went hot and cold at the mention of Blair's mother. His expression hardened and fury poured like wine, free and undiluted in his veins.

Lily sighed, "Charles, don't be like that."

He spoke the woman's name like curse, that sneer curving and cruel "If _Eleanor_ has any questions or problems with our current arrangements, then she can damn well contact my lawyers."

Hands fisted at his side, he stormed off to the waiting limo. Lily waved off her own driver as her son held the door open for her. She started to speak but one look her Chuck's face changed her mind. Later. Much later.

~*~

"Jennifer's this is Beth speaking. How may I assist you?"

"Hi, it's Serena. Is your boss in?" Serena pushed the stack of proofs and layout proposals off to the side. She thumbed through glossy magazine, a huge grin spreading across her face.

"Serena?"

"You are so sneaky. I just saw the magazine. Why didn't you say anything the other night?"

Jenny laughed, "I wanted to surprise everybody."

"Well, you did." Serena said, "I'm really proud of you, Jenny. We are so having celebratory drinks tonight."

"Forget drinks. Carter has Alex tomorrow night, doesn't he?" The younger woman asked.

"No, Alex will be spending the entire weekend with his Uncle Eric and his cousins. Why?" Serena asked, absentmindedly reaching out to straighten the framed photograph of her two year old. He was wearing the hugest grin and his eyes weren't on the camera but on his cousins and equally incorrigible Uncle who'd egged him on. Santa didn't look very pleased with anyone in her family.

"I thought we could have a little get together. You know fifty of our nearest and dearest."

"Hmm, I'm liking your idea better."

"Too bad Eric's going to have the kids. I totally forgot. Maybe we'll all have a celebratory lunch or something during the week." Jenny laughed. They both sobered at her next words. "I was going to invite Chuck, too. I mean I really owe him a lot, you know? This never would've happened without all his help."

"Jenny, you know my brother had his reasons for investing." Serena sighed, "Chuck's changed a lot. For the better, but no one would ever call him selfless."

"I know. I know." The other woman said, "He wanted to get back at Eleanor."

"He wanted to destroy her."

"Serena. I was there. I knew his intentions and things worked out for the best all around."

Bypassing the newest picture of her little boy, Serena reached for a much older photograph. One that Jenny had taken herself. The night of the Snowflake Ball. Before everything went straight to hell. Things had most definitely not worked out for the best but she didn't say that to Jenny. Instead she smiled sadly at the moment frozen in time. There she was, her arm loped around Aaron's waist and a big fake grin plastered across her face.

God she'd been so obvious. No wonder it hadn't taken the guy long to pull the jealous boyfriend card. She still felt the thrum of satisfaction when she saw how stiffly Dan held himself away from his date for the evening. Aaron's ex. God, what was her name…Lauren. Jezebel. Whatever. She hadn't gotten Dan that night. Neither had Serena. Unbidden, her fingertips skimmed glass, hovering over Dan's unsmiling face. And there was B, her eyes only for Chuck's smirking face. Serena didn't think that either one of them had spent all of two seconds with their respective "dates." Her best friend's expression had been standoffish as she made one snide remark or another but their possessive attitudes toward one another had spoken volumes to their "dates" and everyone else at the dance.

"Earth to Serena. Are you even listening to me? I really want your input about tomorrow."

"I'm listening."

"And about Chuck. Like I said. I know why he helped me. You don't need to warn me off. I know the deal." Jenny said.

Serena shook her head, pulling away from the past. "I wasn't warning you off. Besides you have a boyfriend. You and that photographer."

"That was Steven and I broke up with him last month."

"Well, who's the guy who came with you to Eric's birthday party."

"That was Rex…"

"Rex, yeah. Now I remember him." Ew. How had she forgotten him. Serena wrinkled her nose.

"Well, he's just a friend. Mostly."

"Jenny!"

"What? I had an itch…"

"Please, please, please don't say anything else. Please."

"Hey I didn't say that the last time Carter was in town. Booty call, anyone?"

"I'm hanging up now."

"Fine. Sorry." Jenny offered, sounding not the least bit repentant. "I need to go."

"Me, too. I've still got a pile of work to do before I can go home." Serena reached for said work.

"S? Uh there's one other thing."

"Uh-huh?" Serena asked, distracted already by worked she'd been putting off for the past hour.

"About tomorrow night. Dan's going to be there."

"What? Dan?" My Dan? She managed to scream only in her head.

"Yeah. I can't very well not invite him. I really want you to be there, Serena. It'll be like old times. I'm calling Vanessa, as soon as we hang up to invite her and Nate."

"That sounds great. Listen I'd better get back to work. We'll talk more later, okay? Okay. Bye." Serena hung up before her old friend could squeak out her own goodbyes.

He was back. Was she happy? Nervous? Serena wasn't sure what she should be feeling. She could count on one hand the number of times they'd seen one another since their high school graduation and each of those time had been before she hooked up with Carter. Before she had Alex.

God. Dan Humphrey back in New York. Maybe she should bully Chuck into going with her. Would make for a perfectly interesting night. Damn.

~*~

"I really need to go, honey. I've got a meeting…" He lowered his voice, feeling another argument coming on and not wanting his personal business aired within earshot of his co-workers. Yet again.

They'd been happy the first two years. Happier than he ever remembered being in his life, but the past few months…everything seemed to be sprawling out of control. He'd spent the past few nights in the guest room and felt actual dread creep in at the thought of going home that night.

He'd been toying with the idea of checking into the Palace. Give them room to breath, to think. Ultimately, Nate knew he wouldn't be checking in anywhere. That would only invite more accusations and he wasn't sure just how much more his marriage could withstand.

"Fine. Whatever, Nate."

"Jenny's party sounds like it'll be fun."

"Oh, so _now_ you want to go."

Nate bit back the groan that would only send her through the roof, "V, I never said I didn't want to go. I just said that I'm loaded down with work and I don't know if I'll be able to get off." He glanced at his watch. "I really do need to go. Why don't we plan on a late dinner tonight? Then we can hit that new jazz club that you wanted to check out a few weeks ago." Nate offered the proverbial olive branch, trying not to sound too hopeful.

Silence fell on the other line and for a moment he was worried that they'd been disconnected. When his wife spoke she sounded tired. "I won't get my hopes up. Not when you'll probably just call and cancel on me later."

"Vanessa."

She retorted, bitterly. "It's the truth."

"Bullshit. When are we going to sit down and talk about what's really going on here. What our _real _problem is…"

"Not today because you have a work. A meeting remember." She offered.

"Goodbye, Nate."

"Don't hang up. Vanessa." He cursed as she did just that and slammed the phone down with more force than he intended, drawing the eyes of those around him.

"Better get a move on it, Archibald. Granddaddy's connections won't get your ass outta the sling, you keep Jeffries waiting." The older man sitting across from him, tipped his head to their Lieutenant's office just as the man in question came to stand in his open door. His hard expression and cold eyes sent a thrill a dread down Nate's spine.

Fuck. He didn't need the Lieu riding his back anything else. The man already hated his guts.

"What the fuck, Archibald. You waiting on a signed invitation or what? Get your ass in here." The Lieu's door slammed like a shot, bringing Nate to his feet.

"Cheer up, kid. He'll get tired of chewing on your ass way before he retires. Probably." His partner offered, his words doing nothing to make Nate feel better.

Mumbling something to that effect, he called on years of growing up on the UES. Appearances were everything. He wasn't going to let these guys get to him. He was here to do his job. They could kick at him all they wanted, he straightened his spine and put on his game face. His steps weren't hurried but he didn't want to keep the Lieutenant waiting any longer than he already had.

"Plant your ass." He was instructed the minute he stepped inside the office. "Archibald. This is Detective Miller. He wanted to pick your brain."

Nate shook the other man's hand, not letting his growing curiosity show too much.

"Archibald. Nice to meet you. Your lieutenant's told me a lot about you. All good things. Heard you're making quite a name for yourself in Robbery/Homicide. You helped in the Reynolds grand larceny case last month." Miller said.

"Yes, sir." He froze awaiting the jokes that always followed. Some allusion to his father. The Captain's current "jailbird" status.

"You do good work. Lieutenant says it won't be long before you make detective."

Nate resisted the urge to glance in the Lieu's direction. He couldn't believe the man was actually praising him. Granted not to his face but he always figured the bastard hated his guts. Weird.

"Listen. I need some help with a couple cases I caught a few months back."

New case. Excitement made him forget himself and he grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "Yeah. Sure. Anything to help. What do you need?"

Miller shared a look with the Lieu that brought him on alert making a quick memory of earlier his child-like excitement. The detective cleared his throat, turning his attention back to Nate. "I need to ask you a few questions about an acquaintance of yours. Charles Bass."

"Chuck?"

"Yeah the two of you ran in the same circles."

Still do. What the fuck was going on? Why were they asking about his best friend? Nate kept his tone neutral, "We grew up together."

"You still close?"

Close? Seeing as how Chuck had served as his best man and was the father of Nate's goddaughters, he'd say "close" was a fairly accurate word. "You could say that."

The Lieutenant interrupted catching Nate's eye. "Look. Sometimes the job gets personal. You gotta get your priorities in order, kid. Do your job no matter how things fall out. So you gonna help Detective Miller with his case or do you need to get the fuck out of my office."

Nate felt his expression harden, but he didn't get up. He didn't leave. He'd listen to their questions. Find out what the hell his best friend had gotten himself into this time. "Ask away."

TBC

**A/N:** All right, people. Let me know what you're thinking. Lots of questions, right? No worries answers are forthcoming.


	3. Chapter 2

**And They All Lived Happily Ever After…Or Not**

**Disclaimer:**I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:**Thanks again to Lynnie (my lifesaver for letting me bend her ear and working me through road bumps). Big hugs and thanks to all my girls at fanforum and the reviewers for your support…It most definitely helps me. Now please let me say again that this is most definitely a CB story, so bear with me and I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy what I've got planned just as I'm having a great time getting it down. This next chapter has an **M** rating so if you're one of uh delicate sensibilities please scroll beyond the marked off section when it comes up later. Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas. Best Wishes. Now get reading. ;)

**Chapter 2**

"Hey, Waldorf." Stroking brown curls, he leaned down and brushed her mouth in a soft kiss.

As had become ritual, he pulled back ever so slightly, his eyes searching her face. Her chest rose and fell, steady in her repose. Her long lashes remained as they'd been, shadows against her cheeks. Fingertips skimming her jaw, he damned Serena for the thousandth time.

Weeks after she'd dragged his ass back to New York, his dear sister had confided her foolish hope that Chuck could awaken the sleeping princess with but a kiss. Chuck Bass didn't do fairytales. He'd scoffed at her, but that hadn't stopped him from trying or acting out the same ritual, every single time he visited the woman he loved. It never worked, but that didn't stop him, no matter how each failure ate away at him.

"Hi," He repeated, stepping back from her bed. Her hair shone in the sunlight pouring in from the windows, light glinting off the army of silver frames at her bedside. Smiling he reached out for the newest addition. "Looks like Dorota beat me to it."

Blair's former maid visited as faithfully as Chuck himself. Probably more so. He knew she came in _every_morning, tidying B's room, despite the fact that the facility actually had entire staff on payroll for that very job. Some days he swore that woman even dusted the chessboard taking up the table nearest the window. Dorota came in and pampered the sleeping woman, brushing chocolate curls until they were just the way her mistress liked them. She brought fresh flowers and sat with B for hours, catching her up on the latest gossip and reading to her as she did later in the day for Kat and Evie.

Chuck's mouth curled, wicked and full of love as he gazed down at the photo in his hand. "They were in rare form, Blair. You should've seen them." Brown eyes so like their mother's danced with mischief and laughter as they yanked on Santa's beard. The girls sported identical smirks, astonishing him, leaving him with a sense of awe everytime he recognized in them, a piece of himself and of B.

Lily and Serena's horror-filled eyes had turned accusing as they met his. He'd shrugged, trying not to laugh and appear properly stern but that went completely out the window the instant that little Alex followed his cousins' example. Next year he'd hire a private Santa for the kids. One with the foresight to grow his own goddamn beard.

He returned the frame back to its original position. His eyes falling on the photo of a much younger Blair with her parents. Chuck scowled at Eleanor's smiling visage. He wouldn't call her a bitch. Not here anyway.

Chuck cleared his throat, turning back to Blair. "I just came from lunch with Lily. Your Mom called her. She wants to see the girls."

Resentment fired in his blood. After everything that woman had put him through, now this. He was astounded at her nerve. It'd been all he could not to call her and let her know all the different ways that she could go to hell. He didn't want his children anywhere near the woman. Look at what she'd done to B all those years.

This was classic Eleanor though. She hadn't changed her MO even a bit. For years she'd ignored Kat and Evie's very existence. Now she wanted to reach out. Throw them bone. Her attention. The exact way she'd treated Blair. To hell with that. To hell with her. His children didn't need her. They had him. They had his family and their grandpa Harold and Roman. That was more than enough.

All through lunch, Lily had gone over all the reasons why he should give Eleanor a chance. As far as he was concern her words had fallen on deaf ears. Well mostly. His stepmother had insisted that he at least consider calling Blair's mother and above all to consider what Blair would want.

"I know what you would do, Waldorf. You'd forgive her. Even this." He moved closer to her bed, trying to shake off the old anger trying to turn him inside out.

Chuck couldn't resist touching her hair, his eyes caressing her delicate features. She'd forgiven him for a lot. After giving him hell of course. He'd give up his fortune. The company. Everything, if she'd just wake up. Yell at him. Smile at him. Just look at him.

"I miss you, B." He told her. "Today's the day, you know. My father's been gone for six years. I keep trying to remember that last day but I keep thinking of you and the last time I heard you laugh. I thought I was wrecked when he died, but you're killing me, Princess."

Sinking down on the edge of her bed, he navigated the various wires hooked up to machines, monitoring her vitals and wrapped his arms around her. Needing to hold her. Breathe in the scent of her hair.

--

_The Snowflake Ball 2008_

"Do I look like one of your whores? Or some naïve freshman." Blair shoved playfully at his shoulder, unresisting as he pulled her swaying body closer.

"Come on, B." He smirked, tipping his head toward the couple making out only across the room. "It seemed to work well enough for my double over there."

"It's freezing outside. Besides, Justine obviously has low standards. She was to be your date after all."

"Fine. Forget the roof." Chuck said. "Be with me tonight, Waldorf."

The words slipped out before he knew what he was even saying. He'd been joking with her before, trying to tempt her up to the roof. He could always pretend that he hadn't been serious. But he wanted more than a dance with her tonight.

Hadn't they agreed earlier that tonight the normal ground rules didn't apply? What could it hurt? He missed being able to hold her close, his lips on her skin. Blair was a woman of who equaled his passions. That was one of the things he found most irresistible about her. They could afford to indulge.

"Just this once." He said not quite sure whether he was trying to convince her or himself with those words. Chuck started to pull back as uncertainty flashed in those brown eyes. Just as quickly it was gone and she offered him a teasing smile. "What do you say, Waldorf? It's all I want for Christmas."

"Very smooth, Bass." She laughed, "Too bad I have your present already bought, wrapped, and waiting under the tree."

Despite her words she raised no protest as he led her from the dance floor. "Well, I've been a _very_ good boy this year."

"Impossible." She teased, her smile sweet and poisonous, "You're Chuck Bass, remember?"

They left the pulsing music behind and Chuck motioned for their coats. He felt her stiffen as the attendant regarded him with a flirtatious smile, one that he returned in kind. Blair's sharp elbow dug into his middle before she pulled away.

"Hmm, maybe you can sweet talk that one up to the roof."

"Quite easily," He shrugged, unfazed by the ice in her tone. "Unfortunately, that doesn't change facts. I could have her and a half dozen just like her within the hour…but you—you're the one I want."

"This is crazy, Chuck." She gasped out a breath as he crowded close at her back, brushing heavy curls away from her neck and started kissing a slow path across her silken flesh. "We…we."

"I know." Damn right he knew. It was insanity. But he didn't want to stop. Just this once, he told himself. Blair shuddered against him, fanning the fires below bright and hot, and obliterating any other dissenting thoughts that would take her away from him tonight. "No games tonight. Just us. We can go back to normal tomorrow."

"And if I don't want to…"

"You're killing me, woman." Chuck said, "And you're lying. Your skin's hot to the touch and you heart…" He stroked her neck, placing the softest of kisses against the beating of her racing pulse.

"That's not what I meant. What if I don't want things to go back to normal tomorrow." Her whispered words were soft and unsure. He almost didn't hear them. Her words and the slight tremor in her voice.

"We'll talk. Tomorrow." He said, not sure what the next day would bring.

"Good."

"Now we really should be going. Unless you wouldn't mind being featured quite prominently in all the society pages." He nipped her ear, reaching out to take their coats as the attendant returned. "I kind of like the idea myself. Forget Gossip Girl. Let's go national."

"You Basstard." Her laughter took away the sting in her words. "Tomorrow. We'll talk tomorrow." She repeated, almost to herself.

"Of course."

"You'd promise anything to get into my pants." She fell silent, her expression disconcerted as she seemed to consider her words. Remembering what remained unspoken between them. Three words forbidden.

Threading his fingers through hers, Chuck pulled her along, "I suppose you have a point. But tomorrow will be soon enough."

"But…"

Chuck interrupted, "And you're still talking. Don't worry we'll remedy that in just one moment."

"Of all the arrogant. Smarmy. Self-centered. Egotiscal."

He stopped her before she got truly revved up, and lobbed another Motherchucker at him in front of the reporters that he spotted hanging around the lobby. He really doubted that she'd appreciate having those particular words immortalized. So he kissed her instead. His lips crushing and nibbling until they were both gasping. By the time they made it outside, the icy December air was like a balm against his flaming skin.

Blair gasped as a blast of cold air, hit them full in the face. He threw his arm around her. "Chuck, it's snowing." She laughed partly in delight and partly in horror as the swirling flakes settled around them, frosting their hair, their bodies.

His narrowed eyes trying to pick out his limo through the light fall of snow filtering through the air.

"There." She pointed, beating him to it. They made a run for it. Falling into the backseat together.

Not content to let her out of his arms, he called out to his driver, never once taking his eyes from Blair's laughing face. "Arthur, the Palace. And take your time. The roads—uh, look like they could get nasty." He pressed the button to raise the partition with that, leaving him and B all along.

She shivered against him. He reached out brushing snow from her hair.

"The Palace, huh?"

"No nagging stepsisters barging in. No hovering maids." He leaned away long enough to shrug out of his jacket. "And I don't know about you but I'm not in the mood to get cornered again by your stepfather-to-be. You were right that guy's something else…"

"Chuck, now you're talking too much." She tossed her own wrap away, reaching out to thread her fingers through his hair. "Shut up and kiss me. Now!!"

"Whatever my lady demands." He laughed, crushing her mouth beneath his. The weeks spent starving to kiss, to just hold her close finally caught up with him. Never breaking his mouth away from hers, Chuck tugged at the zipper and hooks at her back, holding the dress in place. The zipper caught and wouldn't budge. Gripping fabric with both hands, he pulled at it with more force.

**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**

"Chuck, you'd better not rip my dress." She gasped out.

"I'll buy you a new one." He promised. Impatient he rucked up the folds of her dress, his hands questing below. Blair's moan filled the car as his fingertips skimmed upward. Needing to touch him, B made promises of her own as she ripped his shirt, her nails scrapping gently. Her tongue darted out to lap at his neck and chest. Chuck groaned as she ground against his hand, her heat evident through the flimsy material of her panties. He gathered the material in his hand and pulled until the fabric gave.

Blair made a noise of protest that melded into delight as he found just how wet she was for him. She stiffened, wound tight as his thumb scrapped, circled her hardened sensitive clit.

"Purr for me, Waldorf." He nuzzled her neck, "It's been too too long. Purr."

And she did. Speechless and breathless as he worked the throbbing nubbin of flesh. She moaned as he slid one finger, then two into the slippery path that he couldn't wait to fill. Couldn't wait to taste. Fuck he wasn't going to last. Not this go round, anyway. They had all night, though. Next time, he told himself. He'd take hours, lingering over every part of her.

He smiled in pure male satisfaction, growing harder as she stiffened in his arms, keening…his name vibrating in her throat. He took her mouth then, swallowing her cries as she found shuddering release.

"Chuck."

"I know, baby."

"More." She whispered, even as her body still trembled.

"Greedy."

"Yes." Blair's smile was unrepentant and sassy as she reached for his zipper. He didn't resist as she reversed their positions. She pushed him back against the seat, settling the folds of her gown around them. She took hold of him, making _him _shudder now as she stroked and petted, guiding him home.

Chuck gripped her hips when she teased, sinking down just a little, just enough to take him inside before pulling away. "Come on, B."

Her expression turned devious and she continued teasing him, dancing closer, only to pull away again. His eyes narrowed he gripped the nape of her neck, fingers threading in her hair and dragged her mouth down to meet his. Distracting her with a bruising kiss, Chuck's free hand settled on her hip, bringing her back to him, taking him home. He shifted upward, his mouth curving as she gasped against his mouth. Her tongue sweeping, teeth nipping down on his bottom lip she clenched around him suddenly, trying to end the game before they'd barely started.

"Keep it up, Princess. I'm going to pay you back later."

"Promises. Promises, Bass. You're just full of them."

He reached under her dress, seeking out that sensitive nub once more. Soon enough she was too busy to tease him, tiny purrs vibrating in her throat. Chuck wasn't sure how much time passed, seconds…minutes. But soon enough she was clenching around him again and this time when she went over the edge Chuck was right there with her.

**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**ஐ**m**

He met her eyes. Laughing. Gasping. Then he frowned, "What the hell is that? Is that Rhianna?"

Blair blinked at him, eyes glazed and unfocused, "What?"

"Listen."

They both tipped their heads picking out the muffled strands.

_You're gonna be a shining star, fancy clothes, and fancy ca-ars.  
And then you'll see, you're gonna go far,  
Cause everyone knows, just who you are-are. _

So live your life, ay ay ay.  
You steady chasing that paper

"Serena." She climbed off of him, her eyes scanning the car for her coat. "Serena's calling."

"Uh-uh." Chuck shook his head, "You can talk to her tomorrow. You're mine tonight, Waldorf. Remember?"

"Are you sitting on my coat? Oh, Bass you so owe me a new outfit." She shoved playfully at him, wrestling him for her coat.

"You love my taste. I think you purposefully seduced me just to get me in Bendel's with you again."

"I seduced you?"

"Everyday."

Her phone trilled, signaling a missed call. "See what you did? Suppose she's having some emergency with Cabbage Patch or Scruffy."

"Seriously. You've christened your future stepbrother, Scruffy."

"Yes, and Ew." She rolled her eyes. "Can you not call him that? I'll deal with being related to that…that when my mother actually…Chuck why are we talking about my mother."

"You're the one who climbed off a perfectly good ride to talk to Serena."

"We were done."

He pulled her close, smiling wickedly, "Not by a long shot, Waldorf. Come on. Saddle up."

"Oh, do I get a whip."

"Ah, you take such pleasure in doling out the abuse." He kissed her.

"And you love it." She pulled away, nipping his jaw with sharp teeth. They both groaned when Rhianna's voice filled the car again. "I'd better answer. Or she'll just keep calling."

"I swear, Waldorf. You're going to have to learn how to turn that phone off." He shifted, levering his weight up from their coats.

Mischief in her eyes and movements, Blair didn't take her coat but reached beneath, her hand searching out her cell as she took further advantage of their close quarters, brushing against his bare chest, the fabric of her dress abrading and pebbling flat nipples.

"Keep it up, Waldorf."

"Only if you can, _Bass_." She gazed pointedly below as he tucked himself back into his pants. "Now be good while I talk to Serena." Blair came up with her cell, smiling in victory. She moved away.

The intercom beeped claiming his attention. "Yes, Arthur."

"Mrs. Bass for you on the line, sir. She says she's been trying to reach you on your cell."

Chuck released the intercom button, looking to Blair with raised brows. "See I know how to avoid interruptions."

She rolled her eyes.

"Send the call back, Arthur." Chuck laughed again, reaching for the phone. "Lily, you wanted something." He made his tone bland and uninterested, not sure how to deal with this woman who he'd held in the highest esteem. Then of course he stumbled onto her cozy moment the elder Humphrey.

"Serena, calm down. Would you calm down and tell me…oh my God." Blair's horrified cried brought his around. She met his eyes and before Lily could say a word he knew.

"Charles. Are you there? Charles." He went cold inside and the phone dropped away from nerveless fingers.

"S, I'll call you back." Seconds stretched and at first she didn't move. Then she reached for him only to dropped back when he flinched under her touch. Minutes before he'd craved it, now her soft flesh burned him.

He realized she was talking but Chuck couldn't hear her, suddenly deaf to everything except the ringing in his ears. Blair came to him, her arms going around him but he couldn't feel her. He was deaf to everything but the ringing in his ears.

"I'm sorry. Chuck. Chuck?" Her words came. Distant. Jumbled. He couldn't make sense of it. Finally she left him in peace, reaching for the phone at his feet

--

_Present_

Chuck remembered that night. And how he'd been after. So many times. He wished that he hadn't taken off the morning after Eleanor's wedding. He didn't regret the words. She did deserve better than him. Now he was just selfish enough not to give a damn.

She'd wanted him and he'd thrown it away. Fuck.

He glanced at his watch. He was running late. He had a hot date scheduled with his favorite set of twins. "Guess I better get out of here. I won't be by for the next few days. Business trip but Lily's promised to bring the girls."

Stopping long enough to move his pawn in the longstanding chess game, he gathered his coat and left, taking one last look at the sleeping so peacefully. "See you soon, Baby."

Chuck stopped at the nurse's station to let them know his schedule and update emergency numbers. "Would do me a favor and pass a message along to Lloyd. Let him know that I know exactly what he's up to and it's not going to work."

The head nurse grinned at that. "I'll tell him. You have a safe trip."

Chuck thanked the woman, stepping onto the waiting elevator, never glimpsing the woman hanging back listening to the exchange.

"Well, that was strange." The woman commented once the elevator door closed.

"What? Oh, no." The head nurse shook her head, "You know Gina. The night nurse. Some nights she brings her son, Lloyd. He and Mr. Bass have an ongoing battle of wits."

"The chessboard. Oh. I'd wondered about that. Is that the husband?" She glanced over her shoulder in the direction of Blair's room.

"No, dear. Sad and complicated, story that one. Are you done with rounds? We can get some lunch and I'll fill you in." the older woman said.

"Not yet. I still need to update Mrs. Tadaski's chart and vitals. As well as, Ms. Waldorf's. I didn't want to interrupt while he was in here with her."

"You seem to be settling in just fine. Just fine, indeed. Week one almost done and what a blessing you've been." The phone rang claiming the older woman's attention.

The young woman took that moment to head for Blair's private room. Throwing a smile over her shoulder, glancing ever so casually down the hall she stepped inside.

She tsked, reaching out to stroke the sleeping woman's hair as she'd witnessed Bass do numerous times in the past hour. "The pampered princess." She leaned down to whisper in Blair's ear, "Don't you know that the game's just no fun without the Queen."

Humming to herself, the woman reached for Blair's chart and left the room.

TBC

A/N: I know, I know I keep leaving you with questions but how'd you like my little Christmas present from me to you...some steamy CB. Stick with me. I've got a lot more coming your way. If only the hours were longer and life weren't so damn interfering I'd be working on this 24/7 just to get it all out. Now with Christmas being tomorrow I probably won't be updating tomorrow so enjoy the Holiday my loves and as always let me know what you're thinking. :kisses: & :holiday cheer:

Oh and Blair's ringtone for Serena was TI & Rhianna's Live Your Life, which I don't own either. 33

Courtney


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday and got just what they wanted. Thanks for everyone that reviewed. I'm so glad that you're all so very intrigued and enjoying the twists and turns of this story with me. As always thanks for the show of support from my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers. Love you all and just keep reading. Lynnie my awesome sounding board, I don't know what I'd do without you. :kiss:

**Chapter 3**

His fingers flew across the keys. After three hours and at least a half dozen false starts, Dan found his rhythm. Most days he didn't mind cutting things so close but this was insane. His cell vibrated at his elbow.

"Not now. Not now. Not now." He chanted, trying to hold on to his train of thought. After more than a year running every possible errand under the sun, writing copy, and stuck writing obits he'd finally been given the go ahead to pen a short write-up for the paper. Granted it wasn't front page material…more like destined for page six and lining birdcages. Still it was a start.

The phone vibrated, again, breaking his concentration. "Dammit." He snatched up the cell in one hand, his eyes glued to the computer screen, "Humphrey."

"Hey, it's me."

"Vanessa, hey." He cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear, leaving his hands free.

"Are you busy?"

"Funny you should ask. I'm actually working on a story for the paper."

"That's great." She said. "I guess I shouldn't keep you then."

Distracted, he nodded. "Yea. Now's not really a good time. I running behind timing-wise. I still haven't packed and I need to be at O'Hare by 7 if I want to get through security and make my flight. Plus this thing is far from finished. So I…"

"Nate's cheating on me."

"Whoa." His mouth dropped and his fingers froze over the keys. "What? Okay. Uh, I'm sorry to hear that. Um, when did you find out? What did he tell you?"

"He's denying the whole thing."

"Well, how did you find out? Did you see them together? Find suspicious charges on your credit card statement?"

Silence fell on the other line. "No. So wait a minute…what? Are you taking his side? That's just unbelievable."

"Vanessa." Dan sighed, "I'm not taking anyone's side."

"By not taking my side in this, you're saying that you don't believe me…which means that you're taking Nate's side." She sounded hurt and accusing, "You're supposed to be my best friend. You know what he was like before and yet him you believe. Thanks a lot. Really. Go back to your precious story."

The line went dead before he could get a word in edgewise. He held the phone to his ear, unmoving and simply listening to dead air as his mind worked, trying to figure out what the fuck had just happened.

His time crunch and story were suddenly the very last thing on his mind, so as he stared unfocused at the computer screen, he couldn't quite remember what he was looking at. He cursed fluently, reading it through, once—twice—then again, trying to pick up the lost thread that had been pulling him through. "Fuck." He shoved his laptop away in disgust. "Fuck."

Dan caught himself glaring at the phone as he shuffled through his notes trying to get back into the story. But his mind was hundreds of miles away. On Vanessa's problems with Nate. His little sister's steady success and his own slow progress at the newspaper. Then there was the party. Jenny's party. Still not his scene after all these years.

Maybe he shouldn't go after all. Dan rolled his eyes. No, he wouldn't do that to his sister. He'd promised her that he'd fly out to help her celebrate. And he wouldn't disappoint her. Even if the idea of being back in New York for even a few days was up there with his aspirations of having his wisdom teeth yanked with a set of rusty pliers.

Shaking his head, he reached for his laptop and just started typing. Not stopping until he was deaf and blind to everything but the words in his head and on the screen. He wasn't thinking about a certain tall blonde. Hadn't really thought about her in months. Years.

Yeah, right Humphrey. Fuck.

~ஐ~

"You're late!" Brown eyes accused and she stiffened, her hands planted firmly on her bony hips.

Smooth as ever, Chuck smiled and tipped his head in apology. "I'm sorry. It really couldn't be helped. Midtown traffic, you know. It was a bitch. Now where's my kiss 'hello'?"

"Dorota's gonna wash your mouth out." Evie informed him gravely, a smile settling on her heart-shaped face.

Chuck scooped her up, making her squeal in delight. "You wouldn't sell your old man down the river."

"Hmm," She tilted her head, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Depends. Remember how you said we could get a dog."

"I said, I'd think about it, you little mercenary."

"But that was forever ago, Daddy." She whined. He knew that she'd be stamping her tiny feet if she weren't in his arms.

"Sorry, kitten. Daddy doesn't negotiate with terrorists."

She was quiet, considering him with narrowed eyes before she opened her mouth and belted out. "DOROT---"

Chuck covered her mouth, "Tattletale." He put her down, "Just don't you forget. Christmas is next week and Daddy has Santa on retainer."

"There's no such thing as Santa Claus. Jason Fitzwarren said so." She nodded sagely, "He says Santa's a fake."

Now at least he understood the girls' actions the other night. Who the hell was this Jason Fitzwarren anyway? Chuck wished for Blair. What was he supposed to say? Tell them the truth and ruin the magic of Christmas for them. He'd thought that he'd have years before they had "the Santa talk," If possible he'd been willing to leave that one up to Lily or Serena. Or even Good ol' Uncle Eric.

Fuck it. Putting on his game face, he met his daughter's eyes. "Baby, look at me. Jason Fitzwarren only said what he did because he knows that he made Santa's 'naughty' list this year and he's not getting a damn thing. Trust me. I've got St. Nick's ear. Remember?"

Evie was quiet for a moment, letting his words sink in before she nodded. Her face reddened and her pursed, fury evident in her expression. "That boy!! How dare he…"

"Cut him some slack. He probably felt bad. And the nice thing to do would be to play along and pretend you don't know." He said.

"But why should I…"

"Where's your sister?" Chuck surveyed the unusually quiet apartment. It was neat as usual. One good thing about the girls getting bigger was the fact that these days they didn't leave so many disaster areas in their wake.

"She's upstairs with Dorota. We were playing dress up. Kat's getting her nails done." Evie waved her own short, glossy nails in his direction as they headed up the stairs.

"Dress up, huh?" Chuck said, "You guys didn't raid my closet again, did you?" He'd had a hell of time finding things for days after their last game of "dress up." And what he couldn't find, he'd ended up replacing. Chuck still couldn't figure out what they'd done with all of his goddamn ties.

"Nope. Can I pick the movie tonight? Kat got to pick last time."

So that was why she'd been waiting for him.

"Well, see." He pretended not to see the triumphant smirk, curving her mouth.

Chuck shrugged out of his suit jacket and loosened his tie, still mindful of his shadow following him into the master suite.

"We helped Dorota pack our things for the weekend. Edward packed a bag for you, too, Daddy. Are you spending the night at Uncle Eric's, too?" She glanced at the suitcase at the foot of his bed.

"No. Have to go out of town. Should be back before you and your sister get home. Why don't you go check on your sister and Dorota? I need to make a few phone calls. Then there's something that I want to talk to you guys about."

"A surprise."

"Something like that."

"A good surprise. Something with lots of fur and barks…but not all the time." She backtracked.

"Not a puppy." Hell, he might consider giving in, if it meant he didn't have to deal with Eleanor Rose interfering in their lives again. First he needed to talk to Harold, see if he'd been in touch with his ex-wife lately. Chuck had tried reaching Blair's father off and on throughout the day to no avail.

"Fine. No puppy for now. Negotiate later, though, right?" She inquired earnestly, leaving only when Chuck nodded his acquiescence. The kid was wearing him down and she knew in. He anticipated Kat going to work on him before the night was through. Like their mother, they somehow knew just what buttons to push. They were a handful and he didn't know what he'd do without Dorota or his family. But he wouldn't have it any other way. Especially not when he'd come so close to losing them.

--

_July 2009_

At Serena's insistence, they stopped at the penthouse long enough for Chuck to clean himself up and get changed. He'd lost weight over the past few months on his steady diet of scotch, drugs, and nameless faces, but his clothes didn't hang off of him as Serena feared. It wasn't perfect but she deemed him presentable.

They met with no resistance when they reached Blair's room. He hung back when Serena breezed inside, his feet going leaden and refusing to carry him any further. God. He didn't want to see her like this. Not Blair.

"Chuck." His sister held out a beckoning hand, her eyes pleading.

He couldn't move, but in the next moment he was standing at her side, looking down at his fallen Queen. "She's so small. Shouldn't she be bigger? You said twins." Chuck reached out a shaking hand. Her skin was cool to touch and ghost white. He turned on Serena with horror filled eyes, his gaze somewhat accusing, "Jesus, Serena. She didn't…she wasn't…"

"What? No…no. Of course not, Chuck. She was trying to put on weight and the twins they came early and she'd been having complications. One thing after another." Serena said.

"This is my fault." He leaned down, resting his forehead against Blair's. "I fucked up. I should've been here, Serena."

"Why didn't you come then?" She asked, "B wrote you a letter. Didn't Jack give it to you?"

He could only shake his head, his mind jumbled and confused. Too much. All too much. He didn't want to think of any of it. He just wanted B to wake up. On the plane ride, Serena had told him about B's discovery and the subsequent fallout after Blair told Eleanor that she was pregnant. At first, Blair's mother left the ultimate decision up to her daughter. Not pushing her when she opted not to end the pregnancy. Helping her decide on prospective parents for their child when she settled on adoption. But Serena told him that as the pregnancy progressed, Blair became less and less certain about the course she'd decided on. Despite the months of silence from him, she'd wanted him to come home. She didn't want to make any decisions without him, but he never came. Things grew worse at home and Blair actually ended up moving in with Serena and the family. Days later, she was in labor, fighting to bring her children into the world. Holding on to her own life by the thinnest of threads.

"I'm sorry, baby." Brushing her hair away from her face, he dropped a soft kiss at the edge of her mouth. He wanted to cry for her. For them but he had no tears left. No grief left in him. It wasn't fair really, she'd spoken those three words. She'd held him and let him cry and he couldn't give her any of it. Eyes burning and dry, he found himself glaring down at her sleeping form. "You're not leaving me, Waldorf. You said the words and now I'm yours. You're stuck with me. That's it. Game over."

"Please step away from my daughter, Charles."

He stiffened at Eleanor's freezing tones. Satisfaction pooled in his belly and his lip pulled back, sneering. Perfect. This he knew. This he could handle. He turned to find her standing in the doorway, her new husband at her side, looking worried and torn.

"Cyrus."

"Chuck."

He stepped closer, shaking off Serena's hand as she tried to stop him. He ignored the two, burly orderlies at Eleanor's back as he focused every bit of what he was feeling on Blair's mother.

Her eyes never leaving him, she told the orderlies, "I don't want this young man anywhere near my daughter. As a matter of fact I don't want him in this hospital."

"Well, that's just too damn bad, isn't it?" He told her. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You're not family. My daughter wouldn't want you here."

"Eleanor, please don't do this. You know that's not the truth."

"Stay out of this, Serena." Blair's mother snapped.

"I've got it, sis." Chuck brushed a nonexistent speck of dust from his lapel, his expression unfazed.

Eleanor stepped aside, motioning the orderlies forward. "Please. Get him out of here. Take him out of my sight. He doesn't belong here."

"Touch me and I will own this hospital. And when I do I won't fire you, but you _will_ be wiping up shit for the rest of your fucking lives." He informed them softly.

"Yeah. Right. Let's go. You heard the nice lady." The smaller of the two stepped closer to Chuck.

"You can't bar him from the hospital. What about the girls?"

"The girls are going to nice families, who will make sure that they have a proper upbringing." She looked Chuck up and down, her tone scathing. "Look at you. You're barely eighteen. And you're already a drunk and a womanizer. Who in their right mind would entrust an innocent child into your care? You'd ruin them, Charles."

"Blair changed her mind. She wants them." Serena tried to get around Chuck. "What are you going to do when she wakes up and finds out what you've done."

"If—When…" Eleanor ground her teeth, dragging in a shaky breath. "When Blair wakes up, she'll understand that this is in the best interest of all involved. Even you, young man."

"You're not giving away my children."

"It's done." Eleanor crossed her arms. "Boys, get him out of here. _Now_!"

The orderlies moved then, coming to stand on either side of Chuck. They started to pull him from the room.

"Don't touch him." Serena reached out, yanking at the smaller man, while her brother struggled in their grasp.

"What in the world is going on in here? Serena…Charles." Lily shoved past Eleanor joining the fray. "Take your hands off my children this instant."

Everyone else moved into action. Cyrus turned on his wife, "Eleanor…"

"This is my child. My decision." She told her husband.

Somehow, Lily inserted herself between the two orderlies and her children. "Look, gentlemen. There has been a grave misunderstanding. My family and I will leave this room under our own steam. And we will be going to the NICU where my son is going to meet his daughter."

"Mom?"

"Come, Serena. Charles. Now." Lily gripped their arms and pulled them from the room. She glared at Eleanor as she moved past, "Call your goddamn attorneys Eleanor because mine are already on the way. I want that paperwork and I want the address."

"Mom, what's happened?" Serena demanded as her mother propelled them down the hall, carrying the protesting teenagers further and further away from Blair.

"Lily, stop." Chuck dug in his heels, refusing to move. Lily's words filtering in past his anger and outrage at being kept away from Blair. "Serena asked you a question. What paperwork? You said daughter. You told them I was meeting my daughter…"

Now they came, unbidden and hot, burning the back of his eyes. Not for B, but for some unknown child who he'd never even seen or held. Had one of his daughters died? Was that why Lily wouldn't meet his eyes?

"We were too late. They just handed her over to those people and I couldn't do anything." Lily croaked, her hand at her throat. "Bart's grandchild."

"The adoption's not valid. I never agreed to it." Chuck said. "B didn't want it. She changed her mind."

"I'm not related by blood. I couldn't do anything without you. The attorneys have the injunctions all drawn up. Even if Katherine weren't still too small to leave the NICU, they can't take her now. But Evelyn. _She_ gave that child to a couple of strangers and I just stood there." Lily cried then. "I'm so sorry, Charles."

He hugged her, the feeling awkward and unfamiliar. Serena stroked her mother's back. Chuck was lost. Helpless, just like before. He couldn't do anything for Blair. Hell, he couldn't even get to her. The same couldn't be said for their daughters. First he'd find out what the hell Eleanor had done with his little girl. Evelyn. Named for his mother. He tested the sound in his mind, on his tongue and his arms spasmed around Lily.

He'd find Evelyn. Then he'd take care of their little girls. Blair would wake up and they'd fix things. He'd make them right. He would.

Harold. Where the fuck was Harold?

--

_Present_

Chuck stretched out his legs, sinking back against the sofa. The overhead lights had been dimmed to a faint glow as the more colorful lights from the Christmas tree flickered off and on, splashing color throughout the room. Kat leaned close, curled at his side, like the kitten she was named for.

The girls were identical but some times their personalities were polar opposites. His little Kat was quiet and methodical, where Evie took after her Aunt Serena, jumping in with both feet first. He was so grateful they had each other. Those first four months it had just been him and Kat. With his Evie out in the world giving all her firsts to some other family.

He wasn't sure which of Eleanor's transgressions made him hate her the most. That she'd gone through with the closed adoption that had stolen away the first four months of Evie's life. Months that she should've been with him and solidifying the lifelong bond that she and Kat had formed as they grew in the safe confines of their mother's womb. The minute she'd been found and he brought her home, his calm peaceful Kat had lit up.

Chuck and Serena had held the girls face to face and the rest was history. His little Kat and Evie reached out with the teeny hands, drooling grins spreading across their faces. He'd never forget that moment. That had been a first. The first time he'd heard Evie laugh and Kat joining in. Laughing for no other reason than to do it. And God but he lived for those sounds. Even now they giggled on either side of him, watching as the boy on the TV gave a high-pitched squeal, his tongue stuck to an icy pole. His sadistic little fiends were actually gleeful.

Damn straight he resented their grandmother for the time lost, but she'd made a horrible situation even worse by keeping him from B. He'd lost four months with Evie, but his time away from Blair had stretched beyond that. Those first few months he had no clue where Evie was and Blair had been just minutes away but equally out of his reach. Access blocked off by private guards that Eleanor insisted on.

The long months had dragged before Harold was granted legal guardianship. That spiteful bitch had kept his family apart and for that, he'd never forgive her.

"Daddy." Evie crowded close on his other side, her eyes never leaving the plasma.

"Hmm?" Chuck smiled at her wheedling tone. Here we go again, he thought, bracing himself for the coming litany. Puppy. Puppy. Puppy.

"Can we stay up for Christmas Eve? We want to make popcorn and watch A Christmas Story." Evie said.

"You're watching it now."

"It's different, if we stay up." Kat piped up.

"It's the same movie, ladies." He told them. "Besides you can't stay up all night on Christmas Eve, especially. Santa won't come if you're awake."

Chuck fell quiet, pretending to be engrossed in the movie as he waited.

"Can't you call him or something? He works for you, right? Tell him we're staying up that night." Kat instructed.

"Nice try. No. Now watch the movie. Uncle Eric will be here soon." He pursed his lips, resisting the urge to pump his arm in victory. His girls thought he was Super-fucking-man. Boss to God and Santa Claus. What more did he need.

Evie frowned, "Daddy, can I have a Red Rider BB…"

"No." Lord but they tested him. "Fuck."

The girls oohed and threatened to call Dorota. She'd surely stick soap in his mouth this time, just like the boy on TV.

Kat met her sister's eyes and smiled up at him, "About that puppy…"

**TBC**

**A/N:** Okay so now you know what brought about World War III or better yet The War of the Roses (+Bass) and the reason why Chuck hates Eleanor with such a passion. So what's a Bass to do? Lol. And I may have played fast and loose with the adoptions laws how long it would've really taken C to get the adoption overturned but that's why writers have that beautiful thing call creative license. Okay. Enough from me for now. Let me know what you're thinking.

Oh yeah…I don't own A Christmas Story…just happens to be one of my favorite holiday films…just doesn't seem like Christmas if I haven't watched it five or six times…in a row. :D Will update as soon as possible. Later, people.

Courtney 333


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Thanks for all your thoughts and good words on the last chapter. I'm a little in love with Daddy Chuck myself :lol: And Eleanor :evil look: . I am simply loving writing for all the different characters...most especially the Van der Bass family, as well as another character whom you'll be seeing/reading by chapter's end. Here's another chapter for you. Hope you enjoy it as much as the last. As always thanks for the show of support from my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers. Love you all and just keep reading. Lynnie…Great, minds…haha, thnx again hon :hug:

**Chapter 4**

The next morning, working on his second cup of coffee, Nate found himself trying to reach his best friend for the umpteenth time. Wondering, all the while, just where he'd gone wrong in life. He tipped his head, listening for movement, some sign of life from the second floor. Of course there wouldn't be, she was probably still too damn exhausted from her night on the town.

It'd been just after 2 in the morning when he'd heard her come in. After hours of ignoring his calls, leaving him to wonder and worry. He'd resisted the urge to confront her, finding that he didn't have the energy to go another round with Vanessa.

Last night, he'd arrived at their Brownstone as promised, ready to treat his wife to a night out. Only instead of his wife waiting, he'd arrived home to an empty house. He hadn't even been in the mood to go anywhere, not with his mind on overload, working through details and questions from his meeting with the Lieu and Detective Miller. Still Nate had been more than willing to go, just to make his wife happy.

"Fuck, man." He said as his call was finally dumped into Chuck's voicemail. "Hey, it's me again. Call me as soon as you get this. I need to ask you about something. It's really important…All right, talk to you later."

He was hanging up just as Vanessa entered the kitchen.

"Oh, don't hang up on my account. Go ahead and call her back." She said, grabbing cereal from the cabinet.

"That was Chuck. Or his voicemail actually."

"Of course it was."

"Why are you acting like this?" Nate tracked her movements through narrowed eyes. "I'm the one who should be pissed. Where were you last night?"

Vanessa shrugged, pouring her cereal and milk as if she hadn't a care in the world. She didn't answer him at first and she sure as hell didn't meet his eyes. Mouth full on her second bite she told him, "Went out with friends. Caught a movie."

"Oh, that's great. That's just fucking great, Vanessa." Nate smiled bitterly, "You couldn't pick up the phone. You know, let your husband know that you weren't lying in the gutter somewhere."

"I turned the ringer off during the movie and forgot to turn it back on—sorry." She shrugged again, making Nate want to throttle her. "Besides, I figured you'd take your chance to make a date with your girlfriend."

Fists clenched, Nate moved across the room, his frustration making it hard to breath. He'd never hit a woman in his life. Never would, but God he wanted to shake her. Shake her until she was the woman he knew. The woman he'd fallen in love with, not the bitter, insecure creature in front of him now.

Nate reached for the folder that he'd gotten from Detective Miller the day before, "I'm going in to the precinct. I've got a bunch of reports that still need to be filled out. Didn't get a chance to do it last night. I wonder why."

"Tell her I said hello," She called after him.

He stormed out of the house, not even bothering to shrug into his coat until he was halfway down the street. The old woman who lived next door, smiled in greeting until she caught sight of his thunderous expression. He wanted to stop and talk. Apologize, but he'd probably only make things worse. He'd just about reached his limit. She didn't believe him anyway so maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to move into the Palace for a while. Or better yet, Nate figured he could bunk at Chuck's place. Vanessa couldn't very well accuse him of cheating with Kat and Evie running around.

Head bowed against the cold weather, Nate flagged down a cab and pushed thoughts of his troubled marriage to the back of his mind. He considered trying to call his best friend again. Let Chuck know about Detective Miller's questions and the string of fires being linked back to him.

Giving the cabbie his destination, Nate shuffled through the pages of thick file. Dread slithered down his spine, the more he read as he saw the picture that had began taking form for Miller. All the connections. Cursing, Nate reached for his phone again and called. This time his call was unceremoniously dumped to voicemail.

First Vanessa. Now Chuck. What the hell was going on with everybody?

~ஐ~

As promised, Lily arrived bright and early—well relatively speaking. The twins chattered happily about their plans for the day with their Uncle Eric. Lily tried not to cringe at the idea of Happy Feet on Broadway. She loved the movie…had watched it at least a few dozen times courtesy of her grandchildren but Broadway? Really.

The on-call nurses smiled as the girls greeted them all by name. They squealed, catching sight of Dorota lounging outside of Blair's private room.

"Girls, no running." Lily called out but they were already halfway down the hall. "Nevermind."

"Dorota, look. Uncle Eric let me have my Christmas present early. Look…isn't it pretty?" Evie held up her arm for the maid to survey her charm bracelet. "It has my birthday and look at the ballerina."

"I got one, too. And the necklace to match." Kat informed her.

"Oh, girls. They're beautiful. Mr. Eric have excellent taste." She met Lily's eyes, smiling over their heads, as she paid proper deference to newest treasures.

"You should've come with us. We had so much fun. We ordered pizza and had hot cocoa with like a ton of marshmallows. Uncle Eric let us stay up late, too."

"Evie." Kat elbowed her sister.

"Oh, right. Forget that last part." She said, "We were gonna watch a really, really scary movie, too, but Kat was being a baby…"

"Was not."

"Ya huh."

"Enough, girls." Lily sighed, "Dorota, have you been here long?"

The maid shrugged, "Hour. Not very long." She glanced at the closed door of Blair's private room. "Miss Blair physical therapist in with her right now."

Kat frowned, "How come Mommy has to exercise when she's sleeping?"

"So she won't get fat, silly." Evie told her. "Right, Grandma?"

"Not entirely, sweetheart. They just want to help your mommy stay strong."

"Hello, Mrs. Bass. Girls." One of the nurses came over. She smiled at Dorota before turning back to Lily. "They should be done with Miss Waldorf in just a bit. While you're waiting I could take the girls to the lunchroom. One of the nurses got an ice cream maker for her birthday and she keeps bringing the stuff in, experimenting with all these great flavors. Do you think it'd be okay if Kat and Evie give us a hand getting rid of some of it?"

"Well—I'm sure that would be fine." She hesitated for a barely seconds as the girls turned on her, wide-eyed and expectant. They were gone, dragging the nurse along before Lily could change her mind. "So Dorota…a whole weekend to yourself. Any plans for the night?"

The maid smiled, her eyes dreamy and nervous. "Date with Fritz. He drive for Ben and Jennifer. We argue…he say Miss Violet is most talkative child in world but I say Miss Evie have her beat. No contest."

"She does like to argue, doesn't she?"

"She has motormouth like that pink bunny. She go on and on and on." Dorota laughed, her expression sobering after a moment. She cleared her throat. "Uh, Miss Lily. I have question. Something I need to say."

"Go ahead." Lily motioned for her to continue.

The maid fiddled with her fingers, suddenly extremely interested in Lily's new pair of boots. She'd fallen in love with them the moment she'd spotted the Suede Kid Wedge boots at Barney's but Lily doubted Dorota's sudden fascination had anything to do with admiring the new purchase.

"Well, I—" Dorota started and made a face. Dragging in a deep breath she met Lily's eyes. "Last night before he leave I hear Mr. Chuck on the phone with Blair's papa."

Chuck had called Harold. Well, that was good. Maybe he wasn't completely resistant to the idea of reconciling with Eleanor.

"Mr. Chuck worry about Miss Eleanor's 'sudden' interest in his girls. Mr. Harold tell him that he know nothing about it and would check into things." Dorota told her.

Lily nodded, processing all that the maid her taken in. The woman didn't miss a thing. "That's good. Maybe after Harold talks to her, Chuck will be more secure about Eleanor's intentions."

"There is something else. I should say. Wanted to tell Mr. Chuck, but thought he would be angry." There she went wringing those hands again. "You aware that I stay in touch with Miss Eleanor and Mr. Cyrus. To keep them updated on Miss Blair, you know."

"Yes…" Lily said.

"Well, Mr. Cyrus. He call a few months ago. Say he caught Miss Eleanor looking at the pictures of the girls when they were visiting. He ask I send more pictures."

Lily was starting to where the maid was headed, but she didn't interrupt, letting Dorota finish her story. She only nodded.

Dorota made a face, looking worried. "Then when on phone, she ask about girls. Not a lot at first. Just little things. She sound so sad, Miss Lily."

"Did she ask to see them? Have you taken the girls to her without Charles' knowledge." Lily asked, softly.

The maid's eyes widened and she looked so insulted that Lily felt guilty for asking. "What? No. Of course, not. Dorota would never _never_ do this."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Of course, you wouldn't. I still had to ask."

"Miss Eleanor don't ask that I do this either. I don't know she want to until last night I overhear Mr. Chuck." Dorota said, "I should say something to Mr. Chuck. Is bad, no?"

"It's okay, Dorota. You didn't do anything wrong. Like you said. Eleanor saw pictures of Kat and Evie here. Charles wouldn't be angry with you for sending more." At least Lily didn't think that would be the case. "And you're free to speak with whomever you choose."

"I just no like this, Miss Lily. My Miss Blair would hate what they do to one another." The maid sighed, appearing relieved to release her burden.

Lily didn't tell her that she'd voiced the same concerns to her stepson, just the day before.

Blair's door opened behind them and the physical therapist and nurses came loaded down with wrinkled sheets and linen.

"Looks like we can go in now." Lily glanced down the hallway in the direction where the twins had disappeared.

"I get them. You go in. Sit with Miss Blair." Dorota bustled away, her step lighter.

Lily's heart heavy, she pasted on a smile, as if the sleeping woman inside could possibly see it and moved into the room. "Hello, Blair."

~ஐ~

She heard them before she actually laid eyes on them. She was just entering lunchroom, to grab her lunchbag. Sure it was more than an hour before her scheduled time but the old biddies hadn't said anything to her about it yet. She hovered in the doorway watching the two little girls.

Well, well, well. I spy with my little eye, Katherine and Evelyn Bass, the spawn of a fallen Queen and her demonic King. Interesting, she smiled.

"We gotta tell Daddy to get us an ice cream maker too, Evie."

The other little girl, almost her mirror image looked up smiling, her rosebud mouth dripping with the sugary treat.

"You guys ready to vote on which one is the best?"

"I like the Chocolate Mint." Kat said.

Her sister shook her head, expression one of stark disapproval. "You always get the same thing. Here try this one. Brown Sugar Rum Swirl. It's good."

"Nope." Kat retorted, turning away from the offered spoonful.

"I should be taking you guys back," The nurse with them consulted her watch. She pushed away from the table, catching sight of the woman in the doorway. "Better get you cleaned up. Oh, hey Olivia. I didn't even see you standing there."

Stretching her mouth into a practiced smile, the other woman stepped forward until she reached the table's edge. She stopped just far enough away to avoid sticky fingers.

"Girls, this is Nurse Olivia George. This was her first week. She's been working with your Mommy."

"Hello." Evie said, tipping her head, her tone cordial and well-mannered, reminding the woman once more of the fallen Queen.

"Hello. Miss George." The other chimed in, as both girls swiped up napkins and dabbed at their sticky mouths.

"Please. Call me Olivia." She smiled at the twins.

"Miss Kat. Miss Evie. There you are. Come now. We see your mama, now." Olivia froze as Dorota called out to the little girls. Carefully keeping her back to the door, she smiled at the other nurse and moved to the far reaches of the lunchroom, grabbing a magazine from a nearby table. "Look at you. You both a mess. Come. We get cleaned up in Miss Blair's room, no? Come."

"Bye, Miss Olivia. Bye, Miss Carol."

Olivia didn't turn but raised her hand in farewell. Her co-worker stuck around long enough to clean up mess left behind by the Bass duo. She made conversation to which Olivia gave distracted and monosyllabic answers. The other woman got the point soon enough, leaving the room with an uncomfortable laugh.

She didn't think the twins or Blair's maid would be returning anytime soon, but she saw no reason to tempt fate. She figured a little work might be the thing to do, keep herself out of sight until Blair's visitors departed, then maybe she and B could get back to their quality time.

~ஐ~

Halfway around the world, Chuck Bass was wrapping a meeting with his business associates. He stood in deference, returning their quick bows. "Sayonara, gentlemen. It was a pleasure doing business with you."

He didn't leave immediately once his companions left the restaurant but wandered into the bar. Instantly he regretted his decision as the tone deaf gentleman on stage, began belting out REM's "The One I Love." He could always wait until he reached the hotel, damn suite had a full mini-bar.

Still Chuck didn't leave. Accustomed to the noise and energy, his girls generated, he wasn't looking forward to sitting in his hotel room, drinking until sleep came for him. He signaled the bartender.

Cringing as the man on stage, reached futilely for a high note, Chuck downed his scotch in two gulps, enjoying the delicious burn as it slid down his throat and fired his insides. "Arigatou," He thanked the bartender, ordering another straightaway. The next one he savored, nursing it as people filtered in and out of the restaurant. More people going up on stage, pretending they weren't making complete asses of themselves.

He pulled out his cell phone, checking to see if Nate had tried reaching him again. They'd been playing phone tag for most of the day. Something had his best friend wound up. Chuck wondered briefly if things with Vanessa had gone from bad to worse. He knew they were having problems but these days Nathaniel shut him down anytime he inquired about it.

Chuck was dialing Nate's number when someone sank down on the stool beside him, waving her hand in his line of vision.

"Mr. Bass. Hi. Gia Kumari. We met last year at the Winstons' ball."

Beautiful. Olive skin and exotic, dark eyes. She looked familiar but he couldn't place her face. Hell when had he ever been able to. Playing along he took the hand she offered, "Gia, yes."

"Amazing, isn't it? Fly thousands of miles away from home and who do you run into?"

Smile stiff, Chuck nodded, all the while racking his brain, trying to figure out who in the hell this woman was. While he hadn't exactly been totally celibate over the past five years, his one night stands had gone from few and far between to practically non-existent. The pleasure was fleeting and not quite worth the gnawing guilt that always followed. He was well aware that Lily and others believed that the time had come for him to move on, but he couldn't see his life with anyone by his side that wasn't Blair Waldorf.

Not like the Bass line would die out with him, anyway. His Uncle was Lord only knew where. And Chuck had the girls. One day he'd step aside and let Kat and Evie take over the reins at Bass Industries.

"Yes, amazing."

"I'm leaving for a shoot…"

Model?

She said. "But I just saw you over here and couldn't resist saying 'hello.' If you're free later, maybe we could catch a late dinner."

"Unfortunately, I have a previous engagement that can't be avoided. Another time, perhaps." He said. She seemed the clingy type. Were he even tempted for a one-night wham bam, beautiful Gia wouldn't be a good choice.

"Count on it." She smiled seductively, brushing close against him as she walked by, "Definitely, count on it."

Chuck watched her go, wondering what in the hell had happened to him. Years ago he'd have been on that and out before she could even think to sink hook one into him. He downed the rest of his drink and ordered another for the road. Fuck, he missed B.

Back at his hotel. The quiet room wanted to close in on him and he let himself out onto the balcony, watching as dusk settled over Osaka. Chuck glanced at his watch and instead of calling Nate back as he should, he found himself dialing a different number. The familiar voice answered almost immediately. "Dr. McCarty. It's Chuck Bass."

"Mr. Bass." The good doctor said after a moment, Chuck could almost see the older man grinding his teeth. What the hell was that about? Not like he'd chewed the man out…since last spring. "Haven't heard from you in a while."

"Figured if you had any news for me, you call. Immediately. How are the trials going?" Chuck questioned.

"The same. Nothing viable. Nothing with the percentages that you quoted. Last time we spoke, you insisted that the potential side effects and dangers were…unacceptable. Nothing has changed." McCarty said.

"Right. Of course." Voice cool, though he would've like nothing better than to heave his phone into the body of water below. Fuck. Probably ideal that the good doctor wasn't standing in front of him. Chuck cleared his throat, "Well the minute you get anything…"

"I call you. Yes, that we've established. You just stay out of the lab as we agreed and I'll keep the trials going."

Bastard didn't have to sound so indignant. Not like Chuck had hit him. Not hard anyway.

Hanging up. Chuck wandered back into his hotel suite, bored and ready to go back home. He'd have been on the redeye back to New York, if not for the meeting that he had scheduled for the following morning.

Grabbing his jacket, he cursed. Kids or not, Chuck Bass hadn't changed that damn much. No way in hell was he going to bed this fucking early. The night was young and there were parties to be found in Osaka, and Chuck didn't plan on spending the next few hours on his ass, watching foreign infomercials.

~ஐ~

The minute he got Bass off the phone, he was dialing another number. McCarty was just about to end the call when she picked up.

"What?"

"Well, hello to you, too." He glared at the receiver, as if his hateful glance could be fully translated over the phone line.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"He just called."

She didn't ask 'who.' Damn woman was well aware, "What did you tell him?"

"Same as before, Miss Sparks. What we agreed." He said, "We do have a small problem, though."

"What's wrong?" She sounded worried. Good.

"My last payment was late. Don't let it happen again. Not unless you want Chuck Bass to know exactly what you're up to."

Her voice sickenly sweet, she retorted, "If you told him, well then you'd have to admit your part in it now, wouldn't you? What do you think he'll do to you?" He was quiet, her tone dropped to a hard whisper when he didn't answer. "That's what I thought. Don't threaten me again, freak. Bass shouldn't be the one that scares you."

He was getting a bad feeling she was right and Bass terrified the piss out of him. It wasn't fair. If only the man hadn't overreacted before and attacked him, then McCarty might not have been so open to helping Bass' old "friend" when she'd come calling.

Teeth grit. "I have the file you sent. I'll call you back with my findings."

"You do that. And don't contact me a moment sooner." She hung up.

"Bitch." Shaking his head, he turned back to the file she'd faxed over earlier in the day

**TBC**

**A/N:** Yes that bitch is back. :) And I am so not an expert on the care of comatose patients…tried to research and found couple things but same as with adoption laws kinda played it by ear. Hope you enjoyed this, let me know what you're thinking. Will update as soon as I can.

Courtney


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Thanks for all your thoughts and good words on the last chapter. Yes, that Georgina is back and more than ready to wreck havoc in the lives of our favorite UESers. There are still many, many twists and turns in store for all of the characters involved. I'm still having a ball getting this written. Here's another chapter for you. Hope you enjoy it as much as the last. As always thanks for the show of support from my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers. Love you all and just keep reading. Special thanks to Lynnie my second pair of eyes and sounding board. Love ya hon.

**Chapter 5**

_April 2009_

Bendel's, Bergdorf's, and Barney's. The Holy Trinity when it came to shopping in New York. Serena and Blair skipped lunch at the MET and the rest of their classes for the day. They hit Bergdorf's and Barney's under the pretense of finally settling on the dress that Serena would wear in a few weeks for prom. Serena tried on dress after dress. Blair critiqued, trying to hide her own longing to slip into one of the beautiful gowns.

She glanced down at her rounded belly doubtfully, fingering the delicate stitching of one gown in particular. Blair wasn't sure why her friend had tried on any of the last three dresses, the color and style didn't flatter her at all. They were more…more to Blair's taste.

Her eyes narrowed at the last, Blair glanced at the door where her friend had just disappeared to change into her own clothes. That little sneak. Blair cursed her own gullibility. The Belly was screwing with her brain. God, she should've known something was up when Serena suddenly changed her mind about the Stella McCartney dress. The same dress that her best friend had practically been salivating over for the past few weeks.

Just what did S think she was up to, anyway? Eyes gleaming with anticipation of unraveling her best friend's latest attempt at scheming, Blair's mind raced with all the possibilities. She was still piecing things together when Serena returned, full of energy and smiles.

Not for the first time, Blair felt exhausted just looking at her. Her hand unconsciously sliding down to cradle her belly, she let it drop away when Serena paused, following Blair's gesture with curious eyes.

"You okay, B?" Serena asked, "Is the baby kic…"

"What? No. I'm fine." Blair interrupted her, offering a smile that she wasn't particularly feeling. It wasn't the baby. Sure the thing kicked like crazy and made her feel tired and hungry and had invaded every single part of her life, but Blair didn't want to talk about any of that because once S started asking questions, Blair wouldn't be able to get her to shut up about her stupid pregnancy. Serena would run with the new freedom, bringing up things that Blair refused to even think about.

Serena tipped her head, eyes still concerned. "Well, let's take a break. Grab a bite to eat."

"S, I said I was fine." She actually was kind of starving. Damn. "But if you're hungry, I guess it wouldn't hurt to stop for something." Blair pretended to give in with a long-suffering sigh.

"Fine anything of interest yet, ladies." The perky, sales assistant popped up as they left the fitting area, with her size two figure and even perkier ass. Bitch.

"No, we're still looking. Thanks, though."

"Yeah, thanks. Bye." Blair waved her away, turning her back in dismissal. "Come on, S. I thought you were starved." She marched off leaving Serena to follow.

As they made their way upstairs to the restaurant, Blair remembered earlier suspicions. She was still pondering her method of finagling the truth out of the other girl, when Serena turned to her, brows furrowed and teeth chewing nervously at her bottom lip. "B?"

"S?" Blair said.

"I need a favor."

Okay, here we go. What are you up to Van der Woodsen? "What is it, sweetie?"

"I need a date. Prom's right around the corner and still I am dateless." Serena said.

Feeling slightly deflated and oddly disappointed, Blair nodded, "No problem. We'll just go over a list of potentials and find someone. It'll be easy."

"B, this is our prom. I don't want to go with just _anyone_." Serena said.

Realization dawned and Blair resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Cabbage Patch. Of course, that was what had her friend acting like an insane person. "Serena, are you waiting for Dan…"

"What? No. No." She insisted vehemently as if Dan truly had nothing to do with her weird behavior. Serena pouted, thoughts obviously on her eyes. Exhaling, she literally shook herself. "No, really, B. I wasn't even thinking about going with Dan. Not really. We tried and…"

"Forget I said anything." Please. "So if not Cabbage Patch…do you have anyone special in mind?"

"Actually, I do." Serena nodded.

"Good. Something to start with. Who?"

"You."

Blair blinked at Serena, certain that she hadn't heard correctly, "Pardon?"

"Just listen before you shoot me down. This is our senior prom…once in a lifetime and we've been planning it forever…"

"Plans change." Blair glared at her friend in disbelief, motioning to the Belly.

"Come on, B. We'd have fun. I don't want to go without you. We can go and hang out. Critique everyone else's fashion faux pas." Serena cajoled. "Of which I'm sure there will be many. It'll be fun."

"Clearly, you've lost your mind. I don't even know why I'm still standing here." She started to walk off.

"_B!!_" Serena whined, hurrying to keep up.

Blair stopped so suddenly, they almost collided. She whirled around, hands on her hips. "I'm the one they'll be talking about, S."

"Nobody cares what they think. The wannabes tried taking you down already and we stopped it. I want you to go, B."

Blair shook her head. Serena, Nate, and Jenny Humphrey of all people had protected her after the truth came out. Standing by her when everyone else either looked at her with pity, scorn, or gleeful calculation. They'd stood by her and helped protect a crown that didn't seem to matter quite as much as it had earlier in the school year.

She didn't want to go, because when Blair pictured herself at their senior prom, she wasn't sporting a belly and her date wore something outrageous…that sparkled and he made her smile, really smile and he made her feel beautiful.

"No." Blair denied herself more than Serena's request. "Look, S. I love you but this isn't the 80's or some cheesy John Hughes movie with that dreadful Molly Ringwald."

"Wrong director, B and you like Mol…so besides the point." Serena stopped herself.

"I'm not going in there looking like some beached whale." Blair insisted

"Blair, you're beautiful and if anything you're not big enough….Don't give me that look. Have you talked to the doctor?"

"I thought we agreed…"

"Not to talk baby. Yes, I know. I remember that edict, very well. I'm just saying. You're what 20-22 weeks..." The blonde focused her attention on the Belly.

"Not another word, S. If you're not hungry. We can just leave." Blair's voice lowered in warning.

"No, we can eat and I promise no more baby talk…"

"Good."

"If you promise to consider prom." Serena finished.

Blair frowned, thoughtful and quiet for a moment then she smiled acidly, "Considered and… still a 'no'."

"Hah, nice try. If you honestly want me to lay off the baby talk, then you have to really think about it. Really, B."

Trashy and cliché. No other way could she reconcile thoughts of the Belly and a prom dress. Throughout all the dresses she and Serena had look at and the ones Blair had pretended not to drool over, she didn't see a single one that she could possibly wear with the Belly firmly in place. Wait! All other thoughts screeched to a halt, as everything fell into place.

So that was what Serena had been up to. Get Blair all worked up, lusting after her own prom dress and then lower the boom. That bitch. Loveable and loyal but still quite the bitch. If anything, though, their little expedition only reinforced her desire not to go. What would she wear? Blair didn't realize that she'd voiced the question aloud.

Serena clapped her hands in excitement as if Blair had ceded victory. "Oh, wonderful. B, you'll look so amazing."

"Yeah, like Shamu in Prada."

"Blair, honestly. You're as gorgeous as ever."

"Yes, but how horrible and gross will I look if I try squeezing into one of those stupid dresses we left downstairs." Blair demanded.

"Angelina in that gorgeous green dress she wore at Cannes. Halle, Heidi, and Selma. All huge and still rocked Valentino, Gucci…"

"Well, they weren't 18 and pregnant at prom with the father of their child off doing God knows what with who—hmm on second thought strike that last part." Blair huffed.

"Well, you've at least promised to consider it, which is what I wanted. So let's order. I'm starving." She reached for Blair's hand and pulled her along.

"Find but I need the restroom…Again." Blair pushed at her friend as the blond started laughing. "It's not funny. You just wait until you're all fat, horny and have to pee at the drop of a hat."

"Horny, huh?"

Blair felt her face go hot. "Forget I said that. I neglected to include diarrhea of the mouth in that list. Grab us a table, would you?"

She left Serena smiling as she hurried off to find the restroom before she further embarrassed herself. Her hand fluttered unconsciously once more to cradle the Belly as she d other patrons and their wandering children. This time when she realized what she was doing, Blair didn't let her hand fall away. At least not as quickly as before.

Two days later, Blair still hadn't firmly decided on prom even if she was becoming increasingly excited at the idea. She found herself smiling and stroking the Belly at the oddest times. Maybe that was why she finally sat down with her mother and chose the people who would raise her child. It was so business-like. No emotions. No strings. Right and wrong. Pros and cons. Her mother was satisfied. And Blair was too, wasn't she? Shouldn't she be?

She was, Blair insisted to herself. Even after she penned the letter to Chuck telling him all that had passed. About their child and the adoption…and her fear. Before she could change her mind, Blair paid a visit to Bass Industries. Lily's PIs couldn't turn up a location on Chuck but his uncle knew exactly where the younger Bass was holed up, licking his wounds…or having someone else do it for him. His uncle refused to tell any of them where Chuck could be found. he man refused to be convinced otherwise, no matter how sweet or acidic the request. She gave him the letter. Shoved it in his hand before she could change her mind. Ran away fast and hard before she could demand he give it back.

Two weeks until prom and still no answer. No phone call, not a single word from Chuck. S began pushing prom and Blair visited her OB for her second trimester sonogram. The prospective parents wanted to know what color to paint the nursery, Blair hated the idea of knowing. She told the doctor not to say a word, but put the answer in a sealed envelope. What she hadn't expected was how it would feel hearing the echoing beats of her babies' hearts. Plural? As in two of them?

Taking it all and burying it deep. She called Serena to help her pick a dress, leaving her mother to deliver the news of her fertility. Damn that Motherchucker, anyway.

--

_Present_

Serena rushed off the elevator. She was running later than she'd thought. It had taken longer than she'd planned to find the perfect outfit for Jenny's party. Countless times she'd told herself that Dan being in New York had nothing to do with the fact that she suddenly had absolutely nothing even close to wearable in her closet.

She finally settled on a party dress that wasn't too over the top sexy but still showed off her assets. Serena cursed herself again for being so indecisive.

She'd been prepared to skip her visit with Blair but then realized that she hadn't been by to visit her best friend since before Thanksgiving.

Serena made excuses for herself. The promotion at work. Single parenthood and life and general kept her to busy. That's what she told herself and it sounded flimsy to her own ears. As time passed, it just seemed to get harder and harder seeing her old friend this way. She missed her so damn much and the hard truth was…they were all getting on their lives without her. Well, mostly.

She felt guilty for being able to hold her child and watch him grow. Then she in turn resented Blair for making her feel guilty and then she felt remorseful over that. Yeah, insane, vicious circle.

"Ms. Van der Woodsen. My don't you look beautiful this evening. Hot date?" Carol asked as Serena walked pass the nurses' station, her heels tapping a steady beat against the tile.

"I wish. Headed to a party for a friend. It's a celebration of sorts." Serena called over her shoulder.

"I see. Well, I hope you have a ball."

"Oh, plan to."

"Don't forget visiting hours end soon." Carol reminded her.

Of course, hadn't she already known that. Wasn't that partly why she was so damn late. Delaying seeing Dan. Avoiding Blair. God, what was wrong with her.? "I won't forget."

"It's okay if you do. You know we'd never kick you out. If the new nurse, Olivia gives you any trouble, just tell her to come see me." Carol told her, scooping up an armful of folders and heading in the opposite direction.

"I will." Serena whispered to no one in particular as she slipped into B's room.

~ஐ~

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Vanessa pounced the moment he stepped off the elevator, dragging him away from the music and other guests. She didn't stop until they were closeted in Jenny's upstairs studio. "I keep saying the wrong thing to everybody. I can't stop."

"It's fine, Vanessa." Dan said, pulling her close when she started to cry. "You want to tell me what's happening with you."

"I'm a mess."

"Yes, that part comes through loud and clear. You want to talk about it? "Dan asked

Her eyes narrowed, "Not about Nate if that's what you mean."

"O—okay. How's work then?"

"Well, funding mysteriously dried up for my project at the eleventh hour and now they want me to sell them on the idea again. The same idea that they loved six months ago. Joy." She smiled, bitterly. "Oh, shit. Your article. I was a total bitch and you were trying to write your piece."

"Yes, you were and by the skin of my teeth I did. So no hard feelings." Dan assured her. "Now since I'm so worried about my good friend…I will ask again… what's going on with you and Nate?"

"I don't want to talk about it. You're just going to take his side again."

Sure he was crossing the line but beyond caring, Dan asked, softly. "Is this about the miscarriage?"

She laughed again, sounding sick and not quite hysterical. "Which one?"

Which? Fuck, another one? She hadn't said anything. "Aw, V. Come here." He hugged her again, held her while she cried.

Too wrapped up in falling to pieces, Vanessa didn't hear the door behind her open, but Dan did and he looked directly into Nate's eyes. Dan gave the other man a helpless glance and motioned for him to take his wife, but Nate just stood there looking more than a little lost himself. Instead of stepping further into the room, Nate pulled the door shut and left them.

Leaving his wife behind with her old good friend, Daniel "Choirboy" Humphrey, Nate headed straight for the drinks. He sank down, watching for their return out of the corner of his eye. He'd already had a few and had a nice buzz going but he suddenly felt the need to get good and drunk. He ordered himself another drink and as one minute flowed into the next, the drinks kept coming.

By the time he felt his phone vibrate, his fingers were clumsy and fumbling as he stabbed at the touch screen lock. "About damn time, Bass."

"Hmm, Nathaniel, if I recall correctly the priest did not pronounce you and I as man and wife at you nuptials." Chuck retorted.

"Fuck, sorry." Nate set his drink away, trying to clear his muddled brain. Why had he called Chuck…No Chuck called him, so he asked, words slurring just a bit. "So what you need man? What can I do you for, this fine evening?"

The line went quiet before Chuck's riotous laughter erupted on the other end. "You are three sheets to the wind, Nathaniel. Where's the wife?"

"Who knows. Probably still catching up her best friend _Dan _on our marital woes." Nate gulped down another drink, suddenly jonesing for a smoke. He needed to fucking chill. He actually patted down his pockets before he remembered just why he hadn't "chilled" in years. The job. Law & Order. Fires. Nate frowned, trying to remember the last. Something about Chuck and fires. Damn, he was drunk off his ass.

"So, Humphrey came back after all."

"Yup."

"You see my sister there?" Chuck asked.

Nate dropped the phone away from his ear, standing to scan the room, wobbling and off-balance.

"Nathaniel!"

"Yeah, I'm still here." He sank back down, closing his eyes to keep the room from spinning. "I don't see her."

"Forget it. I'll call her myself." Chuck said, "You don't go anywhere, though, okay. It's morning here and I've got one last meeting, okay. Then I'm back on a plane. As soon as I'm stateside…and you sober up, we can discuss whatever has you so wound up. Deal?"

"Yeah. I guess." Only once the line went did, did synapses flare to life and bits and pieces came back to him. Fire. Chuck. Damn. Lost it again.

"Nate. Are you okay?" A gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder.

He looked up, offering a goofy smile. "Jenny!"

"Nate!" She said, laughing. "Oh my God. Looks like you're enjoying yourself."

"Definitely. Kudos, Jenny. Best party ever." He told her.

"Where's Vanessa?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Nate rolled his eyes, signaling for another drink.

"Nope, you've had enough. Come on, let's get you away from this bar." Jenny helped him stand.

"Lead on." He motioned her forward, leaning in her as they wove through the milling crowd. "You're a good friend, you know. Like Chuck. Chuck can be a huge asshole but he…watches my back. He's my partner. For life."

Jenny giggled. "You and Chuck are life partners?"

"Yeah." Nate frowned, dissecting his own words, finding something off with them but the what wasn't clear to him and his drunken state. "Yeah, you know we've been together for years. Love that guy."

"I think you'd better lie down."

Uh-oh, there went the room again. Just spinning away. Nate covered his eyes. "I think you have a point."

While Jenny pulled Nate along, searching for a quiet corner, Dan was staring at his best friend in wide-eyed disbelief.

"I'm sorry. For a moment I thought you said…"

"I cheated on him." Vanessa repeated, miserably.

Dan shook his head, trying to clear it, searching for sense. "When? What?"

"It just sort of happened. Last night."

"But I thought you said that Nate was the one cheating." Dan said.

Vanessa sighed, "He is or he will."

Head buried in his hands, he peeked through his fingers trying to gauge her expression. He dragged in a deep breath, taking a moment to think. Trying not to judge. Still the words burst forward, "So he wasn't cheating at all and you just decided that you needed to beat him to the punch."

"Don't talk to me like that. You have no idea what's happening." Vanessa accused.

"Please. Feel free to enlighten me." Dan retorted, "Cause I'd love to know why you're willing to throw away your marriage."

"You know what, Dan. You're still the same condescending jerk that you always were. And you can go straight to hell." She shoved past him and stormed from the room.

"That went well," Dan made a face at the empty room. He started to follow. "Vanessa, wait."

She lost him in the crowd of guests. He tried heading her off at the elevators but the sight of Serena stepping from the elevator car drove every thought that wasn't of her from his mind, taking him back to high school and that first night. When she'd stepped out of his daydreams and ponderings of what-if.

"Chuck, I just got here. I promise that I'll go and find him and make sure he's okay. Yes…yes…she _is_ a bitch. No, Nathaniel doesn't deserve…" She rolled her eyes, letting her brother take it from there with the many failings of one Vanessa Archibald. Looking around Serena met Dan's eyes, her entire body freezing before she offered a quick stiff wave of the hand. "I'm going to look for him now. Call you right back."

She disconnected before Chuck had a chance to get another word in.

"Serena."

"Hi, Dan."

"Long time, huh." Hello 'awkward' my old friend. He sang in his head.

She fidgeted with her coat, "Chuck wanted me to look for Nate."

"I heard…I uh wasn't trying to listen or anything…you were just there and I…will stop talking." He cleared his throat, trying to get his bearings. "Uh, Nate's here…which you already know. I saw him. I could help you look for him…if you want."

And lame. God, why oh why…what was it that made him devolve into a rambling idiot in two seconds flat.

"That would be okay." She finally said. "Lead the way."

Lips clamped shut against saying anything else particularly stupid, Dan turned away from her, racking his brain for a safe topic, "So how's Blair?"

**TBC**

**A/N:** S/D back together again…well at least in the same room. N/V, one thing after another with them it seems. C/N as life partners? Hmm potential? Lol And B did go to prom, Belly and all. Anyone know which 80s movie Miss Waldorf referenced. Hope you enjoyed this, let me know what you're thinking. Will update as soon as I can.

Courtney


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Thanks for all your thoughts and good words on the last chapter. Glad you guys are enjoying all the different relationships. They're all fun and variously frustrating to write. I understand the frustration, wanting B to magically awaken but I say all in due time, no? As I said in the past this story still has quite a ways to go and ground to cover. So stay tuned and I'm very sure that if you've liked what's passed than you'll certainly love what's coming. Here's another chapter for you. This one ran long...just couldn't stop typing. Hope you enjoy it as much as the last. As always thanks for the show of support from my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers. Love you all and just keep reading. Oh and Happy New Year!!! Here's to 2009 being as amazing or even better than what's passed in '08. Love you guys. Kisses & Hugs to my honey, Lynnie…you rock sista.

**Chapter 6**

Still smooth as ever Humphrey, he rolled his eyes. "I—uh know that she and I weren't ever really close…" Like at all, he added silently.

Blair hadn't exactly been the nicest person to him. On their best days they'd tolerated one another because of how much they both cared about the blonde frowning at him now.

It hadn't been all bad. She'd helped him or rather he'd helped her get rid of Georgina Sparks. And Blair had shown her human side a few times after that. None more so than when she let down her guard and all but admitted to loving Chuck Bass.

He'd seen Blair just days before she went into labor. Dan had stopped by the apartment to say his final goodbyes to Serena. He'd found a summer job in California and was staying out there until the fall semester began, instead of coming home to New York. Serena hadn't been home. Neither had Eric or Lily for that matter. Instead, he'd found Blair Waldorf.

Blair had been camped out on their sofa in a pair of silk pinstriped pajamas that did nothing to hide her pregnant state. She'd had a stack of old movies at her side and was surrounded by shopping bags, baby blankets, and tiny dresses.

Blair had glanced around and then she'd smiled, actually appearing glad to see him, "Cabbage Patch, What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be off somewhere buying Birkenstocks and letting you hair go all long and disgusting."

Dan remembered thinking about how much he wasn't going to miss the "Cabbage Patch" jokes or any other form of Blair's brand of snark. Not really, anyway.

"I'm looking for Serena. Is she around?" He'd asked. "I'm leaving New York and I just wanted to...Blair, is Serena here or not?"

"Not. She and Lily were driving me crazy so I sent them off for some mother-daughter time. Facials…massage, you know. They totally deserve it…I've been a _tad_ moody lately." She'd admitted, surveying her nails with a frown. "Damn. Stupid bedrest. I kind of wanted to go myself."

"Blair, uh, are you living here?"

"You could say that. Do you mind?" She'd shrugged, handing him a DVD case and motioning to the rolling credits on the television screen. "Thanks, Brooklyn. Always knew you were good for something."

"I live but to serve." He'd rolled his eyes but complied, studying the case. "Bringing up Baby, huh? Hepburn and Grant. Blair, you do know that there's not an actual child in this film, right? So if you're looking for parenting skills." He'd felt the pillow flying at him before it whacked him across the back of the head. "Okay, stupid question."

"You don't say."

"I thought you had a thing for the other Hepburn…hey could you try not hitting me."

"Could you try not saying the first idiotic thing that pops into your head? Wait, nevermind. Forgot who I was talking to."

"So pleasant, Blair. I can see why everyone dropped their afternoon plans to hang out with you." He'd glanced around the room, empty but for the two of them.

Ignoring his verbal jab, "For your information there's no comparison, but I happen to like Katherine, as well. Especially her movies with Cary Grant. He was debonair and she was headstrong and beautiful. They complimented each other. They were funny together and made the perfect team." Her brown eyes took on a faraway look. Thinking perhaps of another headstrong brunette and her partner-in-crime, who was currently MIA. She seemed to shake free of her thoughts, turning back to Dan. "They were good together. Besides, the girls seem to have a thing for her. They stop drop kicking my kidneys and doing the mambo on my bladder long enough to listen. Unfortunately, they haven't acquired a taste for Audrey yet. _Yet_." She'd smiled down at her belly then, a gentle reprimand in her tone.

Not long after he'd been on his feet, "I guess I'd better be going. Let you enjoy the rest of your movie."

"No! I mean. That's not necessary. You can wait here. They shouldn't be gone much longer."

"That's okay. Maybe it's good she wasn't here. We keep saying goodbye to each other, when things have been long over. What's one more time? Good luck with everything, Blair." He'd started for the elevator.

"Wait!" She'd been on her feet in an instant, grabbing at his arm. "You can't just do that. Serena deserves better than that. You owe her more than just taking off. Settle things. Let her go."

"Whoa, whoa. Blair, are you even supposed to be up?" He'd remember her mentioning bedrest earlier and she was pale, breathing hard.

She'd batted at his hands as he tried to help her back to the sofa. "I'm fine. I'm fine. Just let go of me. You know what? You can leave now. Run along, little boy."

"Is anyone here with you?"

"Yes, the servants are around. I'm fine. You really should get going if you want to avoid Serena." Readjusting the afghan around her legs and movies at her side, she'd turned way, focusing her attention back on the couple onscreen.

_Crushed and ruined tophat sitting just so atop his head, Grant's character was _

_saying, "Now, it isn't that I don't like you, Susan…because after all, in moments _

_of quiet, I'm strangely drawn towards you…but well there haven't been any quiet _

_moments."_

"I'll stay if you want." Dan'd offered, suddenly worried about leaving her on her own, servants or not.

"Ssh." She'd hissed. "Stay. Go. I don't care, but be quiet."

Without another word, he'd sat, laughing with her as the screwball comedy progressed but he got the feeling that she was only half there, barely listening. He kept glancing at her in the corner of his eye and he was thankful to see that she'd regained her color and seemed calmer.

"Chuck called me."

Eyebrows shooting up, Dan had turned just a little. She wasn't looking at him, eyes still trained on the television, but not seeing. He'd cleared his throat, "He did. Well, that's great. Right?"

She acted as if he hadn't spoken. "I haven't even told, S. It was last month. Graduation night."

"Oh."

"He didn't say anything. There was some weird music in the background…and I could hear him breathing, but he wouldn't say anything. Not even after I called him a 'coward'. He didn't say anything." She'd fumbled for the remote and switched off the movie. "I'm going upstairs. You can wait down here for Serena or not."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Please don't ask me again. I am sick and tired of hearing those words." She'd called out for one of the male servants who carried her up the steps. She left instructions not to be disturbed until her best friend returned.

He'd left after that. Not taking Blair's advice and seeing his ex that one last time. For years, he wondered about the things that he would've said should've said. And he hated that one of the last things that Blair Waldorf had thought of him was that he was just another coward. Right there with Chuck Bass, off all people.

Maybe if he'd said it that one last time, he wouldn't still feel like a babbling idiot around his ex. They'd both been with other people, had new histories that the other knew little about, but he realized that she'd always been at the back of his head. He hadn't let go, after all.

"Blair's the same." Serena offered now with a sad smile.

"Your son. He's what two now…right?" Her step faltered at his words. He wasn't trying to make her uncomfortable. Dan wanted to show her that he could be adult about this. Ask the hard questions. Show her he wasn't still mooning after her, even if that last part was a damn lie.

"Mm-hmm. Alex's birthday was in September." She watched him, her expression puzzled.

"And you're working for some magazine, now. _Frau_?" He pushed ahead, making conversation. She smiled relaxing. "Always thought you'd be on the pages. Not working behind the scenes."

"Yeah, crazy how life works sometimes, huh." Serena said, "How's it feel working for the Tribune? Any interesting stories yet?"

"A few." He left it at that. Not wanting to tell her about the never-ending obits or his recent coverage of a dog show. "Come on, we'd better track down Nate." Maybe they'd find Vanessa, while they were looking, but for once, his best friend was the last person that he wanted to lay eyes on.

~ஐ~

Candlelight flickering across tile, Georgina groaned in agony and ecstasy as heat seeped into her aching bones. She'd definitely miscalculated somewhere. When she'd decided on getting close to B in the guise of Nurse Olivia George, she hadn't actually counted on having to _work. _Not in a literal sense anyway.

Her damn feet hurt and she'd chipped each one of her nails, lifting that old bitch in 308. Now McCarty was being a whiny pussy and that stupid whore, Gia had finally called—to let her know that she'd struck out with Bass.

How was that even possible? Chuck Bass was one of the biggest manwhores in the history of the UES. Hell the continent. Perhaps as she'd told Gia earlier, she'd overestimated the other woman's appeal or even worse she's underestimated Bass' standards. Dammit. She needed Gia in place. Everything else was already in motion.

God, she hurt. They'd pay for that along with everything else.

Closing her eyes, she relaxed, counting all the different ways her old enemies would be served with much needed retribution. It was only a matter of time now.

As for Gia, she'd give the other one last chance to lure Bass. Just one. Lips curved into a cruel smile, Georgina sighed, utterly content at that moment.

~ஐ~

Nate rolled over, looking around the darkened room. Not quite sure where he was or how he'd arrived there, Nate started to sit up only to flop back down when the room started moving without him. Bile rose in his throat and his entire body ached. Aw, fuck.

Man, he hadn't felt this bad in a few years at least. He shifted uncomfortably, the leather couch squelching at his every move.

Okay, he'd lie there for a few minutes. Just a few more minutes. Then he'd try to get up again. He heard the faint beat of music somewhere in the distance and sudden remembered where he was and why he'd felt the sudden urge to relive the good ol' days.

He remembered seeing Vanessa with Dan. Nate vaguely remembered talking to Chuck. Or had that been a dream. No, no they'd definitely talked. Had he told his best friend about the fires. All connected to Chuck, through investments he'd made over the past few years. Nate tried to think, but he couldn't remember. Damn he was going to be sick and before he could do more than roll to his side, the alcohol was coming up again, along with his lunch.

Jenny was going to kill him for puking all over her new carpet, he mused just before everything went black.

Even before that, he was almost sure that he caught the vaguest hint of smoke in the air.

~ஐ~

Chuck followed the maid into the sitting room, declining the offered refreshments. Too wired to sit he paced the floor once she departed, leaving to fetch her mistress.

He hadn't been lying when he told his best friend that he had one last meeting, he'd mere neglected to mention his stopover in London or with whom he was meeting.

Chuck glanced around, the tastefully decorated room. Well, he hadn't left the woman penniless, had he? Comfortably wealthy in his own right, Cyrus had been Eleanor's saving grace. Luckily for Eleanor, the older man had made no secret of how much he adored Blair, and he'd been good to her.

That and only that had been the only reason why he hadn't gone after Cyrus Rose when he'd set out to destroy Blair's mother. Instead, Chuck went after the one thing that Eleanor held dear, her precious career. First, he'd exposed her for the fraud she was, laying claim to Jenny Humphrey's designs years ago. He'd poured in as much money as possible building up little Humphrey and dismantling the Waldorf name in New York fashion. Until she could barely set foot in Bendel's or Bergdorf's, let alone convince them to carry a scrap of fabric with her name on it.

She'd pulled up stakes and tried LA, reinventing herself and going for edgier designs. He'd put a stop to that fast. After more than two years of struggling to keep her good name in New York, Los Angeles, and finally Paris, Eleanor appeared to give up, crawling off into obscurity to lick her wounds.

He'd been satisfied to leave it at that. The woman had prized her career above all else, especially Blair. And he'd savored snatching it away from her. Now here she was in London. Five years after their little war had begun. He'd heard the rumblings that she was re-launching her line.

Since Lily told him about the woman's sudden interest in getting to know the girls, Chuck had been wondering if it was some kind of ploy and the conniving old bitch wanted to use his girls so that he wouldn't go after her again.

Chuck swore that if that was the deal, then he wouldn't show any mercy this time around. He'd bring Cyrus down right along with her. Take it all away.

At least those had been the thoughts dominating his mind since he'd decided to meet with Eleanor. Looking around the sitting room, he wasn't sure what to think. There were pictures everywhere, of Blair at various ages. And shockingly enough, she'd somehow gotten a hold of pictures of the twins from the past few years. Chuck was sure he could guess where they came from but he was more concerned about what it all meant.

Wandering over to the mantel, he picked up an old photograph of B that he immediately recognized. Her sixth birthday and that damn red dress. She'd been such a priss that day…well every damn day. They'd all been playing at _her _party, while she sat back on the sidelines not wanting to get dirty before her mother could see how pretty she looked in her party dress. Unfortunately, by the time Eleanor arrived at B's party, the dress had been wrinkled and stained with icing that Chuck had "accidentally" smeared—uh or dropped rather—ahem across the back.

"Beautiful, isn't she?"

Chuck didn't turn, he waited for the fire. Waited for anger to take hold, but instead he just felt exhausted. "Yes."

"Kat and Evie. They look a lot like her at that age."

His daughters' name on her tongue made him freeze. He'd been planning to speak with them the other night about Eleanor, but then suspicious doubts changed his mind. He'd wait. Why bring her up. Get their hopes up if he had no intention of letting her near them.

Her heels clicked against the hard floor as she walked up behind him.

Chuck turned on her, mouth poised to say what…he wasn't quite sure, but the sight of Eleanor Waldorf-Rose left him disconcerted. She was still a beautiful woman, stylish in dress, but she was older. Eleanor looked every bit her age. What struck him most weren't the lines around her eyes but the experience and wariness in her eyes, Blair's eyes. After years he realized or remembered that B had her mother's eyes. As did his daughters.

"It seems that I owe you an apology, Charles." She said, "From what Lily and Dorota…and even Harold tell me, you've done a wonderful job raising them."

"What do you want Eleanor?"

She shrugged, her smile without humor. "Forgiveness…my daughter…a chance to know her children."

"That's a tall order."

"Yes, this I know." Eleanor said. "I really am sorry. I truly believed that it was the best thing for everyone."

Chuck held up his hand, forestalling that old argument. He'd heard those words enough in the past and they'd only serve to piss him off again. "I need to think about this. Talk to them. I can't just throw you at their heads after years of 'Grandma Eleanor' who?"

"Do they know anything about me?"

"Only that Mommy has a mom who used to make clothes and lives too far away to visit them."

"Oh."

"They haven't suffered for it. They have Lily." He didn't say it to hurt her but as a simple statement of fact. Still she flinched as of the words were some physical blow.

"I'm glad." She managed, "I'll be back in New York next week. I promise to follow your lead in this. I just want to make things right."

"I'll be in touch." Chuck realized that he was still holding on to the picture of Blair as he started for the door. He paused in the threshold, not bothering to turn and face her again, "Eleanor?"

"Yes, Charles?" Grim. She sounded grim and accepting.

He said, "If I find out that you're playing some kind of game. You're done. And don't criticize my children. Ever. I hated the look on B's face whenever she 'disappointed' you." Chuck revealed, "I won't stand for it with Evie or Kat."

"Of course not."

He left with that. Hurrying out into the frigid air, shoulders hunched. Different. Very different from what he'd expected of their confrontation. Was that relief he felt? Weird.

~ஐ~

Vanessa had every intention of heading straight home. She had visions of packing a bag and going to her parents. She considered packing Nate's shit and having it ready so they could just get it the hell over with. Deep down she didn't really want to do any of those things. She really wanted to go back to the party and drag her husband home so that they could make love and just veg out for days on end. Forget the outside world even existed.

Pretend that with the exception of Anne, Nate's family didn't hate her guts and were waiting for the day when he came to his senses. His grandparents' words, ignored at first, quietly eating away at her, her marriage. Nate didn't belong to trash like Vanessa Abrams…he was meant for the Blair Waldorf's of the world. That she was an embarrassment and kept him away from the lifestyle he'd been bred for.

Vanessa had been so confident and sure of her marriage before, their words unimportant and rolling off her back. But they came back around with a vengeance when a year ago Nate was shot in the line of duty. Then after her miscarriage. And their failed attempts at getting pregnant again. They'd been successful…only to suffer another loss not long after the stick turned blue for the second time.

Somehow his grandparents seemed to know. Know of her failure. His grandfather visited her at work, insisting that playtime was at its end and that it was time for his grandson to truly settle down with someone of equal birth and stature. Someone who could give him a child. Someone who would fit into the world that he was destined for because it was only a matter of time before he tired of playing at blue-collar living and working with people who resented him for what he'd been born to. The old man warned Vanessa that it wouldn't be long before Nate began to resent her as well.

Before Vanessa Abrams Archibald would've told the old man off, but more and more she was certain that he was right. She'd begun to resent Nate herself. He hadn't listened when she'd told him the things that his grandparents were saying. He'd looked at her with that patronizing smile when she'd accused his grandfather at being behind the sudden loss of funding for her latest project.

Their lives were coming apart at the seams and he didn't seem to be aware. Or care. Then a few months before, Nate began working those late hours and she knew that he'd already began to move on. That he'd leave her soon. Vanessa hadn't been lying to her old friend earlier. She didn't have proof but she knew that Nate had found someone else and that her marriage was done.

God, she still loved him. Probably always would but it was over.

If she had any sense or dignity she'd just go right home and pack her bags. But she didn't. She walked. Her thoughts jumbled and confused. Vanessa didn't realize where she'd been heading until she was already there. Back at the door from which she'd done the "walk of shame" in wee hours between midnight and dawn.

God, this was crazy. Wrong. Leave. Go home. Find Nate. Don't do it again. A voice urged at the back of her head. She shook her head, hoping to quiet wishes of futility and she raised her fist to knock.

The door opened slowly and the eyes taking didn't appear surprised to see her.

Go home. That voice called to her again.

"Vanessa." _His _voice caressed, making her feel weak and guilty.

"Carter." She said, "Mind if I come in."

He didn't answer, but smiled, stepping back to let her inside.

Don't go in. You can fix it. Make it work. We don't want to be here. We should be with Nate. Please. No. No. Kicking that pitiful voice out of her mind, she reached for Carter just as he shut the door behind them.

~ஐ~

They ran into Jenny first. She assured them that Nate was tucked away, sleeping off his one-man fraternity kegger routine in her downstairs office. He would have peace and quiet, well away from the crowd and the noise of the party going on upstairs. Her employees not invited to the party were gone home for the night and the boutique was deserted. Perfect place for their inebriated pal to sleep off his bender and marital woes.

Having satisfied her obligation to one of her oldest friends and her stepbrother, Serena called off the search and tried to relax. As time passed, conversation with Dan felt less and less awkward. He asked her about Alex again but never touched on her brief affair with Carter Baizen and there was no reason in the world for her to bring it up. They talked about their respective jobs. Falling with ease back into their old friendship, both content to tuck away their excess baggage of woes and breakups for one night. They were just two old friends, laughing and catching up.

They laughed at least until Dan suddenly felt the urge to bring up Vanessa and Nate.

"Do you know anything about what's happening with them?" Dan asked.

Serena frowned, sipping on her drink. "Dan, I know she's you're friend but…something's wrong with that girl. She's been treating Nate like shit and I don't know how much longer he'll put up with it."

"She thinks he's cheating."

"What? No. No way." Serena shook her head, confident in her words. "Nate would never do that."

Suddenly wishing he hadn't said anything, Dan couldn't help pointing out facts, "Not like it would be the first time. He slept with you when he was dating Blair. And don't even get me started on the whole Jenny and Vanessa craziness during senior year."

"You're right. I won't get you started, because unlike you I happen to think that people can change. Nate's grown up a lot from that person you're talking about. He loves Vanessa. But maybe you're still the same stubborn and judgemental…:

"Whoa…whoa…hold it right there. Truce." Dan held up his hands in mock surrender. "I absolutely refuse to get into a fight with you, especially about someone else's sex life. Can we agree to let Nate and Vanessa suss it out themselves?"

She nodded after a moment, the anger clouding her expression, slowly dissipating. "Good idea. Now tell me more about the exciting world of obits and dog shows…no I'm just kidding Dan. Come on, I'm kidding."

He thought he'd feel less in her eyes, telling her what he'd been doing for the past year, while she'd just been promoted from project manager to junior editor. Dan waited for the old embarrassment and resentment he used to feel over how easily things seemed to come to the Basses and Van der Woodsens of the world. It didn't come though. He realized that they had it just as bad as the rest of them. Look at Chuck and Blair. Vanessa and Nate. Life was fucked up all around them.

Expression sheepish, he gave in, regaling her with the fun story involving a German Shepard the size of a Shetland Pony and his second favorite pair of dress pants ending up covered in vomit and Alpo. "We laughed, we cried but mostly I cried. Feel good movie of the year material, really…"

~ஐ~

One hand to his aching head, Nate coughed again. Nose twitching, he managed to pry open his heavy eyelids. Same room. Same spot. The leather sofa squelched under him again. It didn't take long to figure out what had woken him up again.

Smoke. He smelled the smoke. The acrid smell was everywhere…in his nose. In his mouth. Hell even his eyes were starting to burn. He'd had one drink too many but that wasn't what left the taste of ash in his mouth.

He tried to stand in the dark room. And only choked harder when he succeeded in getting his feet to cooperate.

Shit. His sluggish brain, worked overtime, attempting to overcome the mix of Patron and Jack that he'd gone back and forth with earlier in the night. Fire. There was a fire. Clumsy and bumping into furniture, Nate managed to shrug out of his suit jacket, covering his face.

Slowly the pieces came together. He was at Jenny's party. Everyone had come to help her celebrate the ten-page spread in Vogue, featuring her designs.

No matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember leaving the party under his own steam. He could vaguely hear the pound of music and laughter from somewhere above him. He'd gotten downstairs somehow, while everyone else seemed oblivious to the thick smoke coating the air.

Vanessa. Where was his wife? Dan. She'd been upstairs telling Dan what she couldn't be bothered with to say to him. He needed to get up to them. Tell them.

"Fire!" He called, throat hoarse and useless already.

God, if he could just sit down. Catch his breath. He shouldn't be on his feet anyway. Nate dropped to his knees, breathing in the air not yet tainted by the starving whoosh of flames that crackled and obliterated, somewhere close, feeding thick smoke into the air.

His forehead, against carpet he smelled puke and ash. He tried to move but his limbs wouldn't cooperate. Phone. He should call…he needed to call someone.

Nate's last thoughts before everything went dark for that second time were of his wife and his best friend.

~ஐ~

The party in full swing around them, Serena and Dan were still huddled in the corner, as conversation and drinks flowered around them. There were people crammed in almost every room of Jenny's apartment.

Dan motioned to the makeshift dance floor where the entire room seemed to have congregated. "What do you say, Van der Woodsen? For old times sake?"

"Why not. I'm curious to see what kind of moves you picked up out there in California."

"Oh, moves." To the room at large. "She wants to see my moves. You sure about that, Van der Woodsen." He pulled her closer than necessary, especially for the quick beat of the music and his eyes focused on her mouth, leaving her breathless.

"Are you flirting with me, Dan Humphrey?"

"The fact that you even need to ask tells me that I've still got a lot of work to do." He said.

She made a face, looping her arms around his shoulders. "You kind of do…no hard feelings. In the interest of being open and honest…you need a lot of work. I know. You could ask Chuck to give you a few pointers."

Bleary-eyed and grinning like an idiot, he burst of laughing "So you're saying that I should go to your stepbrother for advice on how to seduce you…yeah that's not disturbing at all."

Serena punched at his shoulder and missed. "Oh my god." She gasped goofy and honest with disbelief, "We are so drunk. This is not cool. I usually handle my liquor way better than this."

"We are and no you don't."

"Are you having fun yet?" She yelled in his ear over the music.

They were both giggling, bumping foreheads when the woman behind them called out.

"Anybody else smell that?" Again louder over the music, she called. "Hey, guys I think I smell smoke."

On the other side of the room, slightly tipsy and enjoying the high of success, Jenny heard those words. She looked around the room and noticed the faintest of clouds that had seeped into the room. Smoke. What the hell? She waited, counting to ten, waiting for the fire alarm to sound. If there were really fire, it would go off it should go off. The sprinklers would go as well. She thought of her newest designs and stock in her boutique below. For a moment she panic but those could be created again even if the water raining down to quench fire destroyed her work.

She waited those few seconds and no alarm sounded. No water sprinkled down. But the air grew thicker. And the crowd around her shifted, picking up on the fact that something wasn't quite right. Fire. There was a fire. Panicked shouts filled the air. People started to run, shoving and pushing, unsure which way they should go. Others took charge. Tried to at least while many more just tried to get out. People called out wanting to save themselves, thinking secondarily of wives…husbands and friends.

"Dan! Serena!" She'd just seen them. And Nate. Shit. Vanessa. Where were they? Fear flooding her system, her eyes searched the crowd of panicked faces, searching for her brother. Looking for her friends and finding not a one.

Shit. Mere minutes. An eternity of seconds and still the fire alarm didn't go off.

**TBC**

**A/N:** Dun dun dunnnn....There you have it. Vanessa's lover revealed. Chuck's showdown with Eleanor. Threw in a little B. And of course our two UESers and Brooklynites in mortal danger. Who escapes unscathed? Who doesn't? All shall be revealed in the New Year. Hope you enjoyed this, and let me know what you're thinking. Will be updating as soon as possible. Love you guys and again Happy New Year!!!! Don't party too hardm ;D . *toasts* & *sings Auld Lang Syne*

Courtney


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Hey guys. Hope everyone enjoyed their New Year's. I loved hearing all the thoughts and good words for the last chapter, as well as the various "Save Nate"s that popped up. Thanks for taking the time to let me know what you thought. Also very happy that everyone seems to be enjoying all the different relationships. They're all fun and variously frustrating to write. Okay, I know some of you were waiting anxiously to find out what happened in the fire with your various favorites. Here's what happened next. Hope you enjoy it as much as the last. As always thanks for the show of support from my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers. Thanks again to Lynnie for helping me out and being my other set of eyes. Kisses, hon. Love you all and just keep reading.

**Chapter 7**

"Morning, ladies." Georgina was all sunshine and smiles as she entered the lunchroom the next morning. She'd resolved not to worry about her aching feet, tiresome patients, or annoying co-workers. Or the fact that instead of lounging in her warm, comfortable bed, she was outside at the buttcrack of dawn. No, instead of letting her mood go right into the toilet, she focused on her endgame, cheered by the mere thought of it all.

A chorus of "good mornings" and "hello, Olivia," came her way, sounding distracted and half-hearted. Damn, she hadn't been that much of a bitch to the old biddies…not yet, anyway. Had she? Fuck, she'd have to make an effort to appear nicer. She'd still be with them for while not. No point in alienating them all at once.

She stepped closer to the huddled group, realizing for the first time that they weren't sitting in their usual spot—chattering non-stop, all the while saying nothing at all. No today the lunchroom was empty of their inane conversations. They were gathered around the small television sitting on top of the refrigerator. "What happened?" Georgina demanded.

Carol answered without tearing her eyes from the news coverage. "There was a fire last night at this really nice boutique. Jennifer's. The girls and I have been by there a few times. Well the place burned to the ground."

"My granddaughter dragged in there searching for a dress for her Homecoming dance. The clothes weren't insanely expensive but not my taste at all. My granddaughter loved them, though. Plus we got to meet the owner. Sweet girl." One of the Biddies sighed, shaking her head.

"_This is Graciela Dominguez coming to you live once again with this breaking story. Firefighters say that they now have the four-alarm blaze under control. Multiple crews arrived on the scene shortly after 3 am, confronted by the blazing inferno that has completely destroyed the building, as you can see behind me. 911 Operators received multiple calls from party-goers trapped on the upper floors of the building. We still have no firm number of the injured. The more seriously injured were transported to surrounding hospitals, while sources tell us that at this time there were at least three known fatalities, with numerous others still unaccounted for." The dark-haired woman onscreen paused, allowing the camera time to focus in on her somber expression and then the ongoing activity of the firefighters behind her. "Names of the victims have not been released at this time, pending notification of family and next of kin."_

_The camera switched to the male anchor in the studio. He wore an equally saddened expression, "Have firefighters given you any details or implications as to what may have ignited the blaze?"_

_She shook her head, "No, they have not made any definitive statements at this time, but I'm told that arson is not being ruled out. Back to you, James."_

"_Thank you, Graciela. We also have Bert Emo standing by live with one of the survivors. Bert."_

"_Thanks, James. I'm here at St. Vincent's Hospital with Miss Sophie Braga." The scene cut to yet another reporter, bundled up against the cold and at his side, a tall blonde, whose hair had dull and stringy, her face was smudged with soot and eyes red-rimmed. "Miss Braga, you were able to escape with minor injuries and smoke inhalation. What can you tell us?"_

_Sophie's already tear-stained cheeks suffered another bout of fresh tears._

Oh, brother. Georgina managed to bite back a groan. She waited for sympathy and felt none. The chick was alive and well. What the fuck was she crying for? Bimbette reminded her of S…Maybe that was the problem.

"…_of nowhere there just seemed to be all this smoke and people were running and fighting each of to get out. My best friend is all banged up. Some {bleep} broke her rib trying to get downstairs. The flames were so unreal…they were just everywhere and it got big so fast. We were close to the door so we—we got out. Some people, couldn't…"_

All right, enough was enough. She looked around. Her co-workers appeared entranced, hugging themselves as if they'd experienced the fear and loss. Good, they'd be occupied for a bit.

"Tragic," Georgina murmured, feigning sympathy. She backed away from the group still watching the interview onscreen. "I can't watch anymore. I'm going to start my rounds. Check on the patients."

Starting with you, B. She thought, biting back a smile. Georgina walked from the room trying not to hurry her step. She hadn't had much chance to be alone with Blair the day before. First the damn maid had stopped by and then Serena's mom and later Georgina's old pal had finally shown her face. It'd been a close thing. Really. She'd been in Blair's room when she'd heard Carol joking with the blonde.

She glanced at the nurse's station, letting a devious smile curve when she saw that for once no one was there. Georgina let herself into Blair's room, shutting the door softly as if the other girl could magically awaken at the slamming of a door. Well she didn't want anyone else walking by and interrupting.

"Miss me, Waldorf. I've got your next dose." She walked over to Blair's bed, checking the monitor's as McCarty had instructed. Georgina uncapped the syringe she'd brought from the dwindling supply the good doctor had provided. Full and ready to use. All she had to do was push.

This would make be Blair's fourth dose. That first night, her pulse had spiked and the monitors went crazy. McCarty's dire words had come back to Georgina...ticking off all the possible results of shooting Blair up with his little cure-all.

"I always thought Chuck Bass was fearless, but not when it comes to you, huh, B." She said, toying with the syringe. "I bet you'd like my way better. You wouldn't have wanted to spend the rest of your days lying in this bed. You and Bass should be grateful that I decided to come back."

Stroke. Cardiac Arrest. Liver failure. Brain damage. McCarty had warned of all the possibilities. B's body could immediately revolt against the drug as evidenced by his trials. He'd given her the same exactly warning that he'd given Chuck before having his ass handed to him for suggesting Bass take a chance.

Georgina grinned at that, not quite the rich boy she remembered. The Bass she'd known had given knew meaning to the old saying, "I'm a lover not a fighter." He'd scheme utter destruction before resorting to the physical. At least until it came to Blair Waldorf it seemed. Bass wasn't taking any chances with his sleeping Queen.

Georgina, on the other hand, had no such qualms. "Awake or dead. Either way serves my purposes just fine." Peeking over her shoulder again, she injected Blair's IV bag. That done, she stepped back, watching her in much the same way she'd seen Bass do on his visits. As if expecting the brunette to suddenly pop up.

Fuck! She cursed, becoming more and more frustrated with each day that passed showing no results. Goddamn, motherfucker McCarty. Incompetent, swindling bastard. Shit. Shit. For all she knew, that asshole was taking her money and supplying her with fucking tap water to "resurrect" or kill the bitch lying in front of her.

Fists clenched against the urge to grab B's shit and start breaking everything, Georgina dragged in a deep breath. Calm down. Breathe. Minor setback. No guarantees.

It wasn't cool. Days had passed since she'd first injected B and she got absolutely nothing for all her efforts and good deeds.

She wanted to play goddammit and B wasn't cooperating. Georgina reached out touching Blair's beautiful brown curls, and stroking the soft pillow beneath B's head. She could always finish things now. Who knew for sure what McCarty's little experimental drug would result in, but Georgina could always put B out of her misery and send Chuck Bass into a different type of hell.

"Come on, B." After a moment, her lips compressed in pout mode, Georgina stepped away. "Not yet, I suppose." Thoughts of her other plans brought the smile back to her face. "That's okay. I've got more than enough to keep me occupied for now. And quite a few things in store for your guy." Fingers clenching and unclenching in B's hair, Georgina leaned forward to press a soft kiss to the sleeping woman's forehead.

Still if she found out that McCarty was playing her. He'd wind up dead right alongside B. "See you in bit, sweetie. Work calls."

~ஐ~

He didn't seem to hear her approach until she was almost on top of him, or in front of him. Not sure what to say she held out the bottle of water and aspirin that she'd gotten from the nurse.

He looked up, his eyes not focusing on her at first. He seemed oblivious to it all, the noise and bustle in the crowded waiting room. As others awaited word on their loved ones. Things started to click for him and he stopped staring at the water bottle as if it were a bomb or some alien thing.

"Thanks." He mumbled.

"Still no word."

"Nope."

She sank down into the hard, uncomfortable looking chair at his side. Tipping her chin at his balled up fist. "That works better if you take it."

"What?"

"The aspirin."

"Oh. Right. Yeah," Movements mechanical, he twisted the cap off the water and took the aspirin. He didn't really need it. He was actually kind of numb already. Oblivious to the scrapes and abrasions covering his face and arms. He glanced down at his bandaged arm, waiting for the singed flesh to sting but he wasn't feeling that either.

"Have the doctor's been out at all?" She asked, getting only a terse shake of the head in answer.

Silence stretched between them after that. Ten minutes later he looked up blinking as if he'd just realized that she'd sat down beside him. He cleared his throat, drinking back another long swallow of water. "Nate?"

This time she shook her head in the negative.

"FUCK!" He cursed, tossing the bottle aside and gaining the attention of half the room, while the other half were still as numb and lost as he had been just moments before.

He buried his head in his hands, "I can't. I can't. Not like this. She can't leave me like this."

"Dan." Tears in her eyes, the blonde at his side leaned her head against his, taking his hand in hers.

"It's not right." He said. "I can't lose her. What the fuck is happening? Shit."

~ஐ~

This time she waited for him to get into the shower before she slipped from Carter's bed. When Vanessa had started to do the same hours before, he'd just pulled her back, kissing her again, making her forget all the ways she was fucking up her life. At least for a little while. But dawn had come, bringing another morning after and she found it just as difficult to face him or her actions in the light of day.

Feeling disgusted with herself, she dressed slowly. Her hair flying in every direction, she pulled it back into a hasty ponytail. She let herself out.

Her mind whirled. No longer distracted by the illicit pleasure she'd experience throughout the night with her lover, but what was to come now. Nate. She'd have to face him. Look into his eyes as they both acknowledged that it was well and truly over.

She wouldn't cry. She'd been practical. Falling apart could come later. When she saw him moving on with her. Replacing her with someone who his family adored and fit into his world.

Vanessa ordered herself not to cry and promptly burst into tears the moment she slid in the backseat of a cab. Fine. She'd cry now and get it all out. Exhaust the tears, so that there would be nothing left when she reached their brownstone.

"You okay, Miss?" the Cabbie asked her.

She ignored him and he didn't ask again. By the time the cab pulled in front of their house, she expected a fresh spring of tears to come, but she was oddly dry-eyed. Ready. Squaring her shoulders she avoided the eyes of their elderly neighbor as she took in Vanessa's appearance and guilty expression.

Vanessa had expected many things but not the empty house that greeted her. Where in the hell was he? She got angry and felt justified in all of her suspicions.

So it'd been true. He'd found someone else. It was over. They were done. The same litany of thoughts played in her head as it had for weeks. Months before. Even with that playing steadily in her mind, she still found herself going from room to room…looking for him to suddenly pop out at her. But the house was quiet. Not the comfortable silence she'd loved. Where they'd just sit together saying nothing. It sounded empty.

Walking slowly down the stairs, her head shot up as the front door crashed open. And there he was, his eyes darting around anxiously. "Vanessa?!"

Giddy relief shot through her, but she didn't let it show. "I'm right here. Why are you yelling? And what happened to your cloth…" He cut off her string of questions, rushing over and grabbing her close.

"Nate, what are you doing I can't breath? What's that smell?" She pulled back from his bear-hug, taking in his formerly white dress shirt that was now all but black, his face was smudged as well. "What happened?"

"I thought you were dead. I couldn't find you." He told her. "I thought you were gone."

Nate started to smile, relief making him shake. He'd waited outside the burned remains of Jennifer's. At first, wondering when his wife would be found and regretting that he'd been so out of it that he hadn't been able to go back in to look for her himself. Then real fear seeped in the longer time passed and the hotter the fire burned. No one could've possibly survived being in there. And he hadn't spotted her face among the rest of the injured. No one matching her description had been spotted among the patients rushed to the hospital or those routed to the morgue. He hadn't been sure what to think.

Shit, he'd promised to call Dan as soon as he knew for sure what had become of Vanessa. But he couldn't make himself let go of her long enough to reach for his phone.

He opened his mouth still smiling not sure what he was saying, when all the things he'd been too angry to notice the morning before pierced his euphoria. Her swollen mouth. Her redden cheeks and neck. Her clothes were disheveled as if she'd slipped them on in haste. They were the same as she'd worn the night before. Hell, even her purse still hung off her shoulder.

Beyond the pervading smell of smoke coming off his clothes, he smelled hint of cologne in the air that wasn't like anything he'd ever worn. And sex. Her body reeked of musk and another man.

Eyes narrowed, he met her eyes. She looked away unable to hold his gaze, but not before he saw the guilt in her eyes.

"No way. No fucking way, Vanessa."

"Nate. Listen."

"The movies, huh, Vanessa. Friends? What friends? Who is he?" He stopped her before she could answer. "Forget it. I don't want to know."

Nate backed away from her. His expression one of repugnance, as if she were something disgusting and beneath him. The same expression she'd expected and feared, she realized, since the very beginning of their relationship. Only now was she willing to accept the truth for what it was.

"Nate, where are you going?" Vanessa couldn't resist calling out to his retreating back. "Nate?!"

He slammed out of the house without answering her.

Vanessa stood there, looking after him, hands gripping the baluster…keeping herself from falling flat on her face.

~ஐ~

A smile curving his lips, Chuck dragged in New York air, feeling relief settle inside him. It felt easier to breathe somehow. Each homecoming was the same, no matter how short or long the business trip. He wondered if it was the knowledge that B was only a short drive away. Or the way his girls' lit up, as if without him around, their worlds hadn't been quite right

His driver was waiting for him, "Arthur, my good man. Take me home." He'd worked for most of the plane ride home, take a short nap that had left him feeling restless.

"Of course, sir."

Kat and Evie would be with Eric until later that evening. Chuck figured that he could squeeze in few more hours of sleep in his own damn bed. Go see B. Check up on Nate, make sure his old friend was recovering from last night's festivities.

Chuck slipped into the familiar confines of his limo, his phone ringing even then.

"Well, speak of the devil. Nathaniel, I was just thinking about you. How's the head?"

"It's been better."

He frowned. Something sounding off in his best friend's tone. "No doubt. You were pretty out of it last night."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Yea. Something was definitely wrong. "Nathaniel, what's up? You're not sounding quite yourself."

Nate's laugh was bitter. "Let's just say that a lot's happened. Do you have any idea when you're going to be back? I need to see you. The sooner the better."

"I'm in the car now. Headed home."

"I need you to get to St. Vincent's." Nate said, causing his friend a moment of panic before he clarified. "The girls. Your family's fine, but there was a fire last night. Jenny's building is gone."

A fire? The party. Shit. Shit. Nate wanted him to come to the hospital. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Yea. A lot of injuries. Three confirmed dead. Jenny got hurt. Serena's with Dan now, waiting to hear just how bad." Nate told him.

"Damn. Poor bastard." Even after all these years, he wasn't exactly Dan Humphrey's biggest fan, but Chuck understood family and what it meant to lose. Fuck. He had a soft spot for little Humphrey. He honestly hoped that she pulled through. "How's Vanessa dealing with it?"

Nate cleared his throat. "Vanessa…is actually the last person that I want to talk about right now." Each word grated out.

Fuck. Well at least Chuck had his answer. Whatever had his best friend fuming had Vanessa "Fucking" Abrams written all over it. What had the bitch done now? Later. He'd find out later. For now Nate wanted him at the hospital. Chuck's brows furrowed, his expression perplexed. Why exactly was he being summoned there?

As if he'd read Chuck's mind, Nate suggested. "Do me a favor? I need to know who might want to strike out at you. Who might bear a grudge?"

"That's quite a list, Nathaniel. As you know very well."

"I had a feeling you'd say that."

Chuck asked, "You wanna tell me just what the hell is going on?"

"Get here. And we'll talk. But just try and narrow that list down for me."

"I need something now." Chuck wasn't letting his friend off that easily. After days of cryptic messages and inebriated Nathaniel last night, he wanted answers and he wanted them yesterday.

"It's not official yet. But the fire was no accident. They think it arson." Nate told him.

"Son of a bitch."

"And it's not the first, either."

"Jennifer's got hit by a firebug?" Running a hand through his hair, Chuck's voice dropped as he demanded, "What am I missing here? What's the connection that's got you so worked up?"

At first he was worried that Nate would clam up on him again and insist he wait until they were face-to-face. No such luck. Nate answered him, "It's you."

"Pardon?" Chuck asked, not really needing the confirmation for what his gut was telling him. But he damn well asked anyway.

"All the fires have one link. And that's you, Chuck."

"I'll see you in 20." Chuck snapped his phone shut, reaching for the intercom button. "Arthur. Slight change in plans. We're going to St. Vincent's."

Suddenly sleep and Blair were the furthest things from his mind, and he almost wished that he'd stayed airborne just a while longer.

Pulling himself together his thoughts turned to Nate's request. Enemies. Of those there were plenty. Between business and some of the shit he'd pulled, gaining a new hater was incidental to the cause. Now some crazy asshole was out there setting shit on fire? Just fucking great.

Chuck pulled out his phone and hit speed dial for his PI.

~ஐ~

"And you're certain that you're all right, Serena." Her mother asked for what had to be the fifteenth time since Serena gave her the news. Not wanting to make her mother panic by calling her in the middle of the night, Serena had decided against calling until now. With everything that was going on she was suddenly glad that she'd waited.

"I'm fine, Mom. Just a few bumps and cuts. It was more scary than anything." Closing her eyes against the images from the night before, she leaned forward. "We couldn't find Nate and then he was trying to come up while everyone else was intent on getting out."

The fire had gotten so big so fast and they could barely see through the thick, black smoke, hanging around them—chocking them. And the press of bodies around her had all been focused on the same thing. Getting out first.

Beyond her own fear and the people screaming out in horror and because they were hurting, Serena's thoughts had kept going back to Alex. She'd pulled a protesting Dan along with the crowd as he called out for his sister, her name lost in the noise of the crowd.

"Well find her." She'd told him. "Jenny's probably trying to get out like everybody else."

And her words had been true. Jenny hadn't been found on the second floor but downstairs collapsed outside her office. She must have gone down, backtracking to the office, instead of heading out the side door along with everyone else. The younger woman couldn't have known that Nate had stumbled upstairs, looking for the rest of them, trying to warn of the fire. Worried about his wife.

Serena's eyes darted to the corner where Dan had secluded himself as he called his parents again.

"So about Jenny. How bad is it, Serena?" Lily asked.

"She's listed as critical. Second—third degree burns." She told her mother, "They're still working on her."

"Oh, honey."

"Listen. Dan's coming back. I'll call you back later." Serena said, disconnecting as. "Hey. Did your Dad book his flight?"

"Yeah, he's getting ready to board just now." Dan said quietly, "My Mom couldn't get a flight, though. At least nothing sooner than tomorrow morning. No direct flights to New York and everything else coming isn't until tonight and has at least three layovers. Damnit."

Serena reached out a comforting hand. It seemed that except for Jenny, the entire Humphrey family had deserted New York. Dan in Chicago. Alison in Seattle. And Rufus bumming around Canada, playing small clubs with his band. "Let me check on a few things. Make some calls and I'll see what we can do for your mom."

He made a face, confusion blending into realization. He started to protest and then nodded. "Thanks. I'd appreciate that."

Serena stood, ready to give him space and quiet while she made her phone calls. Remembering the call she'd gotten before she'd called her mother, Serena turned back. "Oh, yeah. Nate called. He said Vanessa was at the house so we shouldn't worry."

"Thank God."

"He and Chuck should be here soon."

With those words she was gone. Leaving before her words sank in. Before he had a good chance to wonder why the hell Chuck Bass was headed to the hospital.

He didn't call her back. Or think back on it any longer than a few seconds because when he next looked up. He saw Jenny's surgeon coming out. The woman's expression could only be described as grim.

Dan wanted to call Serena back but instead he somehow made it to his feet and meet the doctor halfway.

~ஐ~

On the elevator ride up to St. Vincent's Critical Burn Unit, Nate filled Detective Miller in on the details of last night's blaze. He saw no reason to tell the Detective exactly how drunk off his ass he'd been.

"You should've called me sooner, Archibald."

Nate nodded, "Sorry. There was a lot going on. I was worried about my friends. My wife."

"She okay?"

He offered a tight-lipped nod in answer. Clearing his throat, Nate changed the subject. "I spoke with Chuck Bass. He's on his way here, actually."

"Good. Good." They stepped off elevator. Walking right into Chuck.

"Damn, you beat me here." Nate byway of greeting.

Chuck clapped his old friend on the shoulder, his expression as grim as Nate's. "Let's just say that I was highly motivated, Nathaniel. Who's your friend?"

"This is Detective Miller. Detective, this is Ch…"

"Chuck Bass." Yeah, I know. The older man's expression was indecipherable as he studied Chuck. Shaking the offered hand, stiffly.

After a moment, Chuck cleared his throat. "Well, Nathaniel. Detective. Somebody want to fill me in. Tell me what the hell's been going on."

The detective looked around the crowded hallway. "Come on. Let's go find some place quiet, where we can talk."

~ஐ~

Darkness. Black and unrelenting. It made up her world. Holding her down and yet making her head float. She tried to move but had no arms. No head.

That was silly. What was that noise? God it was annoying. She would reach over to smack it away but no arms, meant hands. Where was Dorota?

Searing pain filled her. Piercing where her chest should've been and the noise came louder and faster before fading away completely, as the darkness took her under again. Taking her away from the pain and the noise and welcoming her into the gentle arms of oblivion.

**TBC**

**A/N:** Nate knows just what his wifey has been up to. Finally Chuck learns of his connection to those fires. And looks like among the dead and injured Dan's little sis was hurt and Serena was at his side. Of course Georgina Sparks has been up to no good and shows herself a quite the threat to poor B. Hope you enjoyed this, and let me know what you're thinking. Will be updating as soon as possible.

Courtney :)


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long to get up…had crazy busy weekend but hope to make up for it with this extra long chapter…just couldn't stop typing. As always Thanks for all your thoughts and good words on the last chapter. I'm still having a ball get this all down and hope it continues to be a thrill for you. New GG tonight, finally, but for now here is my humble submission. Thanks for the continued show of support from my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers. Love you all and just keep reading. Lynnie honey love ya babes. And special dedication to my girl Jackie. :kisses ladies:

**Chapter 8**

Much like their daughter only nights before, she was waiting for him the moment he stepped out of the elevator. Well, not really. She sat back on the sofa, one left crossed over the other, and her complete attention held by the magazine across her lap.

There were others piled high on the coffee table. Her former maid had insisted that Chuck keep up with all of Blair's favorite subscriptions, switching out the old for the new every month.

The initial shock that held him immobile seemed to wear off, and the very idea of it all brought of quiet laugh from him, bringing those chocolate eyes to his. Well finally. "Sleeping beauty finally awakens and does she go looking for her prince? No, she dives straight into the latest couture."

Blair stood slowly that familiar smile curving her lips, "She wouldn't have the time to do so if her prince was where he was supposed to be."

Chuck walked to her as if in a daze, lifting his hand until it stroked her jaw, cupped her chin. "How?" His eyes took in every part of her.

"It worked." She told him.

Too wrapped up in the reality of her standing there, her skin beneath his fingertips, those eyes drinking him in…he almost didn't hear her words. "What worked?"

"Magic." She said, then laughed. "What do you think I meant? Your little science experiment. McCarty's drug. You brought me back. I came back for you." Blair stepped closer, their faces bare inches apart. "Well, Bass. Are you just going to stand there? Or do I need to go back over the…"

He cut her off. Brushing his mouth against her, tasting her and finally after five years of trying to awaken his slumbering Queen, she was there, wrapping her arms around him. Responding to his kiss. She threaded her fingers the soft hair at his nape, curling them ever so slightly..

God, he'd missed this. Missed something as simple as a kiss from Blair. But he suddenly wanted more and apparently so did she as her hands slid away from his hair and down his chest, nails scrapping gently, through the fabric of his shirt. She started undoing buttons.

Panting, Chuck pulled away slightly, reaching for her hands. She yanked him back. "Where do you think you're going?"

"We're taking this little show upstairs. The girls are a little young for Sex Ed, don't you think?" He scowled, saying next. "Then again they won't exactly be needing that class, anyway. Since when they're old enough for us to worry, no boy or man is setting foot near them."

"You don't have to worry about them. They're gone." Blair told him, trailing soft kisses along his jaw. "I sent them away."

"What? What? Blair, stop." He tried to pull away again, step back from her grabbing, grasping hands. With effort, his bracketed her thin wrists in his hands. "What the hell are you talking about? Where are Kat and Evie?"

"I'm bored with this conversation. Kiss me, Bass. Right now or I walk out of here and…"

Chuck shook her gently, "Where the fuck are our children, Blair? What did you do?"

She tried to get him to let go, but his grip was unrelenting. "You're hurting me. Fine. I finally did what was best for all of us. What I should've done in the first place." Blair told him, "My mother was right, Chuck. They don't belong with us. They almost killed me for godsakes. Just like you killed your mother."

Heart in his throat, Chuck let her go, looking at her as if he'd never seen her before. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, Chuck. Your little brats almost killed me…the same way you killed your mother. Did you actually expect me to look at them everyday and not remember that? Are you forgetting how much Bart resented you for killing your mother?" Blair said, "Why couldn't you love me that much…"

"Blair, I do love you." He whispered. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

She only shook her head, "This isn't going to work. I can't be with you. Just wake up, Bass."

"Chuck, I'm serious man. Wake up."

Chuck frowned. Blair's lips were moving but for some reason it was Dan Humphrey's voice coming out.

He tried reasoning with her again, giving her the words she'd wanted before. What he'd withheld in fear. "I love you."

"I swear if you try kissing me, I'm going to hit you. Again." That voice said.

Chuck shook himself, trying to get rid of that intruding voice. He needed to find out where Blair had sent Kat and Evie. She turned away and he reached out to stop her but she slipped away from him. He started after her only to wrap his arms around his suddenly aching ribs.

What the fuck was wrong with him? "Blair!" He called out his voice registering below a whisper.

"Chuck, wake up." Humphrey's voice came again out of nowhere and someone shook him by the shoulder, jarring his sore ribs.

"Get your fucking hands off me." Chuck's eyes snapped open, taking in Dan Humphrey's retreating back.

"Sorry, thought you might appreciate it if I woke you before you started calling out loud enough to get the guard back here."

Chuck straightened, his entire body stiff and sore from falling asleep sitting up with only the cinderblock walls pillowing his back. He felt embarrassment flush through him as he wondered just what he might've called out in his sleep. He'd had that fucking dream again. Except not in the forgiving privacy of his own bedroom. No he had to be in jail. With Dan Humphrey no less. Shit.

His expression dark, and mouth twisted into a scowl, Chuck glared at the other man. "Let me guess, Humphrey. You were taking notes. Getting everything down for your next bestseller…oh wait. I forgot. Your efforts at being a novelist tanked. I wonder why. Must have something to do with your lack of---originality."

Dan rolled his eyes.

"Or imagination. Anything resembling talent."

"Fuck you, Bass."

"Get in line." Chuck puckered his lips, kissing the air. Then he smirked taking in the other man's rumpled appearance. The busted lip and if memory served he'd blooded the guy's nose, as well. "You are aware of that drool right…yup. Right there."

"Thanks." Dan offered grudgingly.

Chuck shrugged, "Don't bother with the gratitude. I didn't want to have to look at it. Waking up to your face is bad enough."

"How's the eye?" Dan asked, smiling then flinching and bringing his hand up to his injured mouth.

Chuck shifted uncomfortably, making an effort not to hold his ribs as he moved. They weren't broken but the ached like a bitch. And his eye, he didn't need a mirror to know that his fucking eye was turning all shades of the rainbow…it probably looked a little like Humphrey's nose. Chuck didn't think he'd broken it…unfortunately.

He shook his head. Looking to his watch, only to realize that it had been confiscated along with the rest of his things. "Fuck. I still can't believe that I ended up sharing a cell with you. Again."

"Oh, don't get me started. Twice in one lifetime is more than enough for me, too." Dan said.

"You know this is your fault."

"My sister could've died because of you. Because of some bullshit you pulled. Bastard should've gone gunning for you directly."

Chuck didn't say the words aloud because he hated for the other man to know that he was in complete agreement. He had no firm idea how much time had passed. He'd demanded his phone call and lawyer hours ago, only to be told that they'd get to him as soon as possible Hadn't the fuckers ever heard of a little something call unlawful imprisonment? His lawyers would have a goddamn field day. Surely Nate or Serena would've called them by now.

Shit like it was his fault that those two uniforms had gotten caught up in the middle of his "discussion" with Dan-boy over there.

The fight hadn't even been at Chuck instigation this time. He'd been talking to Nate and Miller about the fires. None of them aware that Dan had joined their little group until Brooklyn went apeshit, yelling accusations at Chuck and swinging fists. At first, Chuck hadn't wanted to fight. Figuring the other man was just upset about his sister, but he wasn't going to just stand around with his thumb up his ass while Humphrey pounded on him. So they'd started going at it. Getting away from Miller and Nathaniel as they tried to hold the two combatants away from one another. Dan extracted himself from Miller's grasp and Chuck had shaken his best friend's hold, shoving him to the side. It hadn't been long before two uniforms arrived, trying to break up the fight, as well. Too caught up in their two-man brawl, Dan cold-cocked one of the officers and Chuck hadn't exactly helped his case, resisting arrest when they slapped the cuffs on both him and Brooklyn.

Chuck sighed, "Look, I'm sorry about Jenny. She's a nice kid. I have no idea what's going on." His voice suddenly dropped dangerously low. "But whoever did this…whoever is coming after me this way…they're going to damn well pay."

He looked eyes with Dan so that the other man could read just how deadly serious he was on the issue. Dan looked away after a moment shifting uncomfortably, his eyes on the bars that locked them in together.

They were both quiet. Dead silence filling the tiny space.

"I wasn't even going to come."

Chuck looked up, but Humphrey's focus seemed to still be on the bars or something further…beyond them. Probably with his sister in that fucking hospital bed. "What?"

"I was going to back out at the last minute. Had this shitty little article and approaching deadline. And here's Jenny with her own business. And her designs in a major magazine." Dan said.

Chuck shrugged, "Little friendly sibling rivalry. Nothing wrong with that, Humphrey."

"I was jealous as hell." Dan admitted, "And I was nervous about seeing Serena again."

Chuck's mouth tipped up in a toothy smile that wasn't a smile at all. "Ah."

"I never said goodbye." Dan confessed. "I mean we've talked since I left for college but not really. Just inane, pointless and uncomfortable enough to make us both need to get the hell away from one another as soon as humanly possible."

As Humphrey rambled on, Chuck suddenly remembered the other reasons he found the other man so damned annoying.

"Blair told me that I'd regret it like nothing else and damned if she wasn't right." Dan said.

At the mention of his beloved's name, Chuck's expression softened before turning cool. Trying to sound uninterested. But he was hungry to hear anything about her. Even something from Dan Humphrey's lips. He cleared his throat, "And just when did she give you her sage wisdom on that issue."

"Right before I left for Berkeley that last time. Jenny called me less than a week after to tell me what happened. That your daughters had been born. Blair was in a coma. And you…" Dan trailed off not sure what to say. In no mood to pick another fight with Chuck.

Chuck finished for him, bitterness in his eyes. "And I was nowhere to be found."

He forced himself to meet the other man's gaze dead on. "How'd she seem?"

"Her usual self. Only softer…or harder. Depended which way her mood was swinging at any given second. She seemed sad, but excited, surrounded by a stack of old movies and frilly baby clothes, wondering about her next manicure."

That was his B. Chuck nodded.

"Missing you." Dan finished.

"Ah. I bet—Blair had a few choice words concerning my continued absence." He nodded.

Dan wasn't about to tell the other man that the mother of his children had deemed him the worst of cowards. And probably Dan right along with him. "She just missed you. Wanted you to call her _again. _Wanted you home."

Chuck was still, letting Humphrey's words sink in. "I can't believe she confided in you of all people."

Dan shrugged, "Mood swings. Guess I was in the right place at the right time…or wrong time…cause like I said. One second to another wasn't exactly pretty."

Chuck grinned at the image in his head of a very pregnant Blair smiling sweetly at Brooklyn and then eviscerating him. Damn, he'd missed it all.

Something clanging against the bars, stole the attention of both men. Detective Miller stood there holding a cup of coffee and looking well-rested.

"Gentlemen, I trust the accommodations weren't too daunting for your little overnight visit."

Feigning boredom, "I've enjoyed better."

"I'll bet." The cop retorted, shaking his head. "Seems the officers you assaulted yesterday are feeling charitable given the circumstances and the holiday season. They've decided not to press charges and the hospital's lobbying for your release, too."

"So we're free to go?" Dan stood to his feet slowly while Chuck lounge against the wall as if he were sunning on some beach in Monaco, at least until the detective finally swung the open.

At that point, Chuck lazily got to his feet, cringing internally as if body protested—his ribs in particular. Then he swaggered out, following Humphrey at his own pace.

"I'd say it's been a pleasure, Detective, but then that wouldn't be quite the truth."

He and Dan waited patiently or not so patiently for Chuck's part for his things. They left the station together. Neither saying a word. The minute they stepped out into the morning air, the sharks were waiting with their cameras and microphones.

"_Mr. Bass, can you tell us the details behind your altercation yesterday with one of fire victims?"_

"_Bass, how do you believe this will affect your ongoing battle with Eleanor Waldorf-Rose?_

"_Sir, you were involved in yesterday's altercation, correct? Is it true that you attempted to bludgeon Mr. Bass with a chair?"_

"_Witnesses say you resisted arrest."_

"_Which of you struck the office?"_

The questions came hard and face, flashing lights blinding Dan, while Chuck's expression blanked out. "No comment." Chuck merely said, making his way through the crowd of reporters as he spotted Arthur's lean figure and the open door of the limo. Chuck kept his focus on that goal only stopping to turn and motion Humphrey to follow. "I'll drop you back at the hospital."

Dan plucked at the clothes that he'd been wearing since the party and shook his head. "Hotel first. Think I'd better get cleaned up."

"Fine." Chuck slipped inside, leaving Dan to follow.

The door closed against the crowd and Arthur behind the wheel, Chuck called out, "Arthur, get me the fuck out of here."

~ஐ~

On that same Monday morning, Nate returned to the Brownstone that he'd shared with his wife for more than two years. He walked inside and it didn't feel like home anymore. He wasn't sure that it ever would again.

"Get a move on, Archibald." He told himself. He'd talked to Miller already and Chuck and Dan were being released at any moment. He'd called Chuck's longtime driver, so that the man would be standing by. There wasn't anything that he could do about the deluge of reporters that would be waiting to pounce on his best friend. He'd asked Miller to let them out the back entrance but he doubted the old man would listen.

Nate walked up the stairs and entered their bedroom. The sheets were rumpled and bed unmade. The sight of it brought unwanted images of Vanessa and her faceless lover. How long? How long had she been doing this? Had they fucked in the bed that he'd fucking paid for….in the house that his money had bought?

The questions dogged him, even as he tried to shake them off. Focus on the fire. Poor Jenny. Chuck. Anything but his own problems.

He used the luggage his mother had gifted them with along with their honeymoon trip to the Maldives. He'd been intent on only bringing enough for a few days but once he started packing up his clothes, his just began filling one bag after another. He was sweaty and breathing hard…looking at the empty hangers in his walk-in closet, when she spoke from behind him.

"Don't think you'll get that shut." She said.

Nate glanced at the last suitcase he'd filled, overstuffing it and it probably wouldn't close for him. What the hell ever, he'd find something else to put it in. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be working or something?"

"I took the day. Spent half the night at the hospital."

"Any change?" He asked, still not ready to look her in the eye. Poor Jenny.

"The doctors are worried about the chance of infection. She hasn't woken up. They're keeping her knocked out because of the pain." She came to stand on the other side of their bed, walking right into his line of vision. "You staying at Chuck's?"

Nate froze, the anger back, boiling to the surface. "I swear to god if you accuse me of cheating again…"

"I asked if you were staying with Bass."

"Why? Why do you care? I'm sure as hell not staying here." He said. "What you want to make sure that the field is clear so you can bring your boyfriend? Feel free."

"He's not my boyfriend. And I'm not bring—look I just wanted to know where you'd be just in case I needed to reach you."

Nate closed up the first suitcase he'd packed up. "You've got my cell number. But I can't guarantee that you'll get me to answer. I'll have someone stop by to pick up the rest of my things."

"Nate." She called out as he reached the doorway.

For a split second he stopped, wondering what she could possibly say. What he might need to hear. And there was nothing. She didn't say anything which was find because there was nothing that could've made him stay with her. Not now. Possibly not ever.

He could hear her sobbing as he reached the steps. He didn't stop, didn't pause. What the hell did she have to cry for? She was the one who'd broken them.

~ஐ~

Lily was on the phone with Eric, poring over the Monday morning editions of the newspapers spread out in front of her. Most showcased photographs and front page stories of her stepson. The stories mostly dealt with the fight between he and an as yet unidentified individual who'd been victim in the fire that had been all over the news the day before. Many of the stories went salacious, dredging up Charles' bad boy past as rakehell. Bringing up the seemingly endless round of drinking and women. No worse time than after Bart's death. They mentioned her late husband as well. There was a small blurb of her billionaire stepson's stellar record as CEO of Bass Industries and his philanthropic activities, but most dwelled heavily on the past.

"Damn vultures." She murmured. "Eric, I want you to keep the television off and don't let the girls anywhere near the papers."

"Already done, Mom." Eric assured her.

"I mean, when is this family going to catch a break." Once again she consoled herself with the fact that her own family was at least still healthy and unharmed. The thought of Serena trapped with all those people in that burning building left her shaken.

The soft beep over the line broke into her thoughts. "My darling, another call is coming through. I'll call you back." Saying their goodbyes, she clicked over. "Lily Bass."

"Lily. It's Eleanor." Blair's mother said.

God, what now? Pasting an unnecessary smile on her face, Lily greeted the other woman. "Eleanor. Hello. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"I'm in New York." She said without preamble. "And I needed to speak with Charles."

Damnit. Lily glanced at the papers spread out in front of her and could all but guess just as exactly what the woman wanted with her stepson. "I'll bet you would, Eleanor."

~ஐ~

Sheepish, Dan walked the halls that he and Bass had almost literally been dragged out of the day before. No one seemed to care or notice though as he walked by, so he relaxed only to tense with worry as the reality of why he had to be there hit him again. He went to the front desk to find out Jenny's room number. Heart heavy, he found the area with ease. He was told that he wouldn't be able to go in without being fully outfitted and decontaminated to keep the patient safe from germs and infection. They warned that while her burns could kill, it was the chance of infection that was more dangerous than anything. He stood outside the observation window, his sister's image a blur behind clear protective sheets of plastic hanging from the ceiling.

Squinting he made out another figure, shrouded in green scrubs and plastic cap.

"Your father." Serena told him, suddenly appearing at his elbow.

His mouth opened in surprise, "Serena. You stayed? Have you been here all night?"

"No, not really. Only long enough for your dad to get here. Your mom's around here somewhere. She got in late last night."

"Thanks for doing that." He said, meaning those words.

"Well," She surveyed his expression. "You look none the worse for your night in the slam. You enjoy your bread and water."

"Didn't you know? Chuck Bass doesn't do bread and water. More like a bottle of Dom and croissants." He rolled his eyes.

"Be serious." She laughed despite herself.

"Didn't exactly have an appetite." His stomach growled, announcing his continued negligence.

Serena too his arm, "Come on. Your father just got back in there and I'm guessing he'll be a minute. Let's get you something to eat." She shook her head, taking in his injuries. "At least Chuck didn't break your nose," she reached out with a ginger hand and touched his bruised mouth and nose, wincing when he flinched.

"I'm gonna tell you what I tell Alex."

"And that would be." He said, his skin still tingling where her touch had been.

"Your words, honey, next time use your words."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time your brother provokes me. Does he get the same reprimand?" He smiled despite his aching mouth as they stepped onto the elevator.

"Oh, trust me. Kat and Evie will handle Chuck."

~ஐ~

After dropping Humphrey at his hotel, Chuck stopped home to shower and shave. He arrived around the same time as Nate did with his suitcase in hand. Chuck didn't ask the immediate questions, the obvious questions and Nate didn't tell.

He called out to Dorota, letting her know that his best friend would be staying with them indefinitely. She quickly installed Nate's things into one of the guest rooms that was all ready and waiting. Changing the unused linens that she'd replaced only the day before.

Nate went off, consumed with his own thoughts putting out more than enough signals that he didn't want to be bothered with. That was fine with Chuck, he had his own worries. It wasn't thoughts of the serial arsonist or the long list of enemies he had his people compiling. Thoughts of Blair came in, as always, obliterating everything else that might claim his attention. Bits and pieces of the dream came to him. The same dream that he'd been having for years. That had started to fade as time went by.

Different variations. But always the same. Blair awake and in his arms only to slip away as the real world came calling. As always with each time before, he was seized with the urge to go to her. The need to see with his own eyes that she was still trapped in dreams and sleep. He wondered if she dreamed of him as he did of her. Was she scared? Did she have nightmares?

Needing to be near her, to soothe himself and to see her, Chuck was leaving the apartment less than an hour after getting home.

The girls called his phone on the ride over. Their voices coming over the line. A balm to the darkness that wanted to swallow him whole.

"Where are you?" That was Evie's demanding tone.

His quiet Kat, threw in, "It's Monday, Daddy. I thought your trip was over yesterday."

"It was. Daddy had a few things to take care of." He told them, cursing silently, hating to ever disappoint them the way his father had done with him. But damned if those words didn't echo what he'd heard from Bart too many times to count. "Aren't you guys supposed to be in school right about now?"

"You weren't here to take us." Evie said, making guilt sharpen again. Not intentionally but still it dug into him.

Since the girls had started kindergarten in September, he'd made a point of dropping them of every morning. No matter what. He might not be picking them up in the afternoon because of late meetings and conference calls, but the mornings belonged to his girls. He'd known at some point he'd find himself out of town but he'd gotten back in time. He'd just been in lock-up.

"Uncle Eric said we could start our Christmas vacation early." Kat said.

"Yeah, so that was better." Evie said, "We still gotta do our recital, though."

"It's going to be so cool."

"You're not going to miss it, are you Daddy?"

Not a chance in hell. "I'll be there. Listen. I'm going to visit Mommy and then I'll be by to pick you up. All right?"

They both laughed, agreeing quickly.

"Wait until you hear what we did this weekend. It was so much fun. You should come next time." Evie said.

"Next time." He promised, which meant that it was a done deal in their eyes. "Gotta go. See you in a bit."

They said their goodbyes. He hung up not saying anything about Nate. They'd be excited to have their Uncle Nate staying with them, but Chuck wasn't sure what to tell them about it. What to say about their Auntie Vanessa who they had a soft spot for…who hadn't wanted to spend any time with them since her second miscarriage. He felt bad for Vanessa but she was still being a bitch to Nate which did not sit well with Chuck. Not at all.

"Sir, we're here." Arthur announced when Chuck made no move to exit the limo.

Chuck gave the driver the next few hours to himself. Letting him know that he'd call when he was ready. He walked into the private facility, nodding to those he knew and ignoring the few curious glances he received, while the other, more discreet individuals smiled politely and went about their work. The nurses' station closest to Blair room was empty.

The hallway itself, however was crowded with chattering people, standing just outside of B's door. Chuck's heart rate picked at the sight of the nurses' smiling faces and excited voices. They took turns peeking inside the room three—four at one time.

The head nurse turned to him smiling, "Mr. Bass. Wait until you see it…"

The staff parted like the Red Sea, letting him inside. His eyes flew first to Blair still laid out in the hospital bed. Her mother stood there at her bedside. Eleanor's attention wasn't on the woman in bed. She like everyone else watched the short man aggressively directing the two people decorating Blair's room.

"Not enough. Not enough." Cyrus told them. "You there…move that just another few inches up on the right. And you…you don't move."

Feeling foolish for sudden burst of excitement and hope, Chuck's eyes flew back to the sleeping woman.

"What's going on in here?" He demanded softly.

Cyrus looked around, "Charles, my dear boy. There you are. What do you think of all the decorations? Eleanor and I figured we'd spread a little holiday cheer. How do you like the tree? And we even got her a little menorah." He walked over to a tree little bigger than a table lamp.

Chuck dragged his gaze from Blair once again, looking around the room taking everything in. As the Roses had joined their lives together it looked as though they'd tried melding some of their favorite holiday traditions as well. Besides the small menorah. He spotted a dreidel and Christmas stockings with Blair's name and one for each of the girls.

Eleanor met his gaze before looking down at her daughter, smoothing hair from her forehead. "She was sad that last Christmas. You were gone and I just remember her throwing herself into putting on the biggest show. I'm sure we had a tree in every room that year. And she loved celebrating Chanukah with Cyrus."

Chuck nodded, still unsmiling, "She'd have like the idea of eight days of getting new presents."

"Yes. She did." Eleanor told him. She cleared her throat, "I myself haven't been much for celebrating and caroling or decorating some dying tree since she—but Blair loved it all. I thought that this would be a good thing to do." She said.

Eleanor and Chuck fell silent. Two wary combatants, sizing one another up, the tension rising until it was impossible not to notice. Behind him he felt more than saw the slow dissipation of the people crowding the hallway, their footsteps squelching against the floor as they went about their business. Cyrus excused himself, mumbling something about homemade ice cream and hot cocoa.

The door shut firmly behind Cyrus and Chuck walked over to the half decorated tree and the stockings sporting all of his girls' names. Distrust still too strong to ignore, he turned on Eleanor. "So…I'm expected to believe that you just flew right over. With nothing but the purest of intentions. Spread the holiday cheer. Sorry, Eleanor but I just don't see holly and goodwill to all men when it comes to you."

"You can believe what you'd like Charles."

"Why not say something about your plans to fly over when we talked yesterday morning?" He asked.

Eleanor shrugged, "I didn't think to…hadn't planned to so soon but then I…"

"Heard about my little go-round with Humphrey and decided to see how you could milk it?" Chuck questioned softly.

"No. Cyrus called me and told me the news about Jenny Humphrey and I decided to come home _earlier _than planned. I'm not looking to pressure you about seeing the girls…as much as I truly do want to meet them. I was worried about that Jenny and needed to be close to my daughter. I know the circumstances are different but it brings things up again." She explained. "So I don't expect you to understand or believe me about this. But it's the truth."

He pinned her with a hard, searching look and she met his gaze, not backing down. Reminding him of B. Always standing up to him, challenging him. Sighing, Chuck made his decision and hoped to God that he was doing the right thing, "The twins have this recital on Christmas Eve. I'm sure that they'd be delighted if you could attend. What happens after that…let's just 'we'll see' and leave it at that."

Excited, the older woman clapped her hands. Her smile one of pure delight. "Excellent. Oh, I'm going to tell Cyrus the news right now. This wonderful, wonderful news."

Eleanor started to hug him but they both shook their heads. "I'll be right back. You keep our girl company." She grinned hugely, pulling their door open and fairly running down the morning nurse, Carol. "So so sorry. Now where is that husband of mine?" She hurried off.

Carol watched her go before turning a questioning glance on Chuck who only shrugged as if he had nothing to do with the woman who'd just hurried out, smiling like a madwoman.

"Mr. Bass. I was wondering you'd seen Nurse George. Olivia. She said she was coming to check on Miss Waldorf and I could've sworn I saw her head this way." Carol said."

Chuck frowned searching his memory, "No. I don't think I ever recall meeting—Nurse George, was it?"

"Yes, Olivia George. She's has very, very short, dark hair. She's about my height."

"Nope. Pretty sure I haven't met her. If you do see her, though. Ask her to skip Miss Waldorf's room on this go round. I don't wish to be interrupted…" He threaded his fingers through Blair's without meeting the nurse's eyes.

"I'll take care of it." She disappeared, closing the door behind her, leaving him alone with Blair. Finally.

"Hey, Waldorf." Chuck smiled now, offering his usual greeting, the soft brush of his lips against hers. Imagining the slightest response because he wanted there to be one. Stepping back anyway and studying her for any sign, any reaction. Of course there were none. As was the usual case.

He smiled, stroking her hair away from her forehead. "Hell of a weekend, baby. You wouldn't believe half of what's gone down."

Leaning close, a smile on his lips for the most part. Chuck told her of his trip and waking up with Dan Humphrey. He talked about everything. He talked about nothing. The sound of his voice filling every corner of the room.

~ஐ~

Over the next few days, the twins were too preoccupied with their Uncle Nate moving in and the idea of finally meeting Eleanor. They asked question after question of Chuck, Dorota, and anyone else who'd ever crossed the woman's path. Chuck was almost tempted to go against his original idea and have the damn woman join them for dinner. Happily enough they were too busy to harass him over the puppy he was still considering.

Still the fact that they were so excited about Eleanor told him that he'd done the right thing. Chuck only went into the office a few hours, bringing most of his work home and having his assistant re-route his conference calls. His good pal, Nate took the opposite approach, spending every waking hour at the precinct and even falling asleep at his desk once or twice.

"You look like hell, Nathaniel." Chuck greeted the other man, as his best friend stepped off the elevator.

"Good Morning to you, too." Nate said, his feet dragging, the evidence of his sleepless nights in his face and sloping set of his shoulders. Instead of calling it a night…or day and throwing himself across his bed in the guest room, Nate walked the few yards to sit down with his best friend. He reached out for a wedge of toast and glass of orange juice. "Where's everybody?"

"As we speak, Dorota and the girls are on their way to Lily's. You just missed them." Chuck shoved his plate away, "I'm glad we got a minute to ourselves. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Choking on a bite of toast, Nate drank down another glass of juice. He coughed out, clapping his own chest.

"You all right?" Chuck asked.

"I'm fine." Nate coughed again, "Went down the wrong way. And we've talked about this. The subjects of Vanessa and my marriage are off limits. Remember?"

"She's bringing you down, man. You can't see it. But I do and it pisses me off." Chuck said, "But in keeping with respecting your wishes…that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Fine. Good. What is it?" Nate asked.

"I had some ideas about the case. The fires." Chuck said, watching his friend's expression perk up at possibility of a new lead. "My people are still checking but we've eliminated the Skull & Bones boys…none of them quite have the stomach for something quite like this. Beside, couldn't see any in the bunch willing to risk their inheritance or aspirations for the public life if certain information were to be leaked."

"Ok, so still no leads."

"Not quite. But there's something I need to talk to you about. Might bear further looking into, if you will." Chuck said. Feeling uncertain, even after all his years of silence, he felt as if he were betraying his father even if it was only Nate whom he was confiding in. "Remember years back, I told you Humphrey tried writing that article for _New York Magazine._"

Frowning, Nate nodded, "Yeah. You said they hired him to write some kind of expose but you wouldn't tell me what it was about."

Chuck looked at his oldest friend. He'd always trusted Nate. With his life. With his girls. And his father had been gone for years so telling Nate the truth wasn't exactly a betrayal. But what would happen to his father's memory if the truth came out after so many years.

"Chuck, what is it?" Nate leaned forward.

Running a hand through his hair, Chuck stood slowly, walking over to pour himself a drink. It was barely ten in the morning but damned if he wasn't going to need it. Savoring the taste, the liquid fire rolled across his tongue and down his throat before he turned back to the man who was his brother in everything but blood, "There was another fire."

"What? When?" Nate asked, coming to join Chuck as he sank down on the sofa, rolling the glass tumbler between his palms.

"A long time ago. Before we were born. There was a fire and somebody died. My father did some things that were less than honest. And someone ended up dead. Somehow..." Chuck ran a hand down his face, "Somehow, Humphrey found out and thankfully Jiminy Cricket gave him a swift kick in the ass before he actually wrote the damn story."

"Shit. Shit. Chuck." Shaking his head, he cleared his throat. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well I'm going to talk to Brooklyn. See what he knows. Try to find out who exactly was involved all those years ago. See if there's a connection. You, Nathaniel, I need to get the old case files. See what you can dig up on your end and my PI will do the rest." Chuck said.

"Chuck, if this is the connection. It's highly likely that we won't be able to keep all the details under wraps. You're okay with that?"

"For now, I'd prefer us working under the radar….we can think damage control later." He said.

"When are you going to talk to Dan?"

Chuck said, "I was actually just about to head out when you arrived."

"Think you might want company.? Or a referee?" Nate offered.

"Ha…Ha. You're hilarious, Archibald." Chuck said, "Damn referee. You were supposed to have my back you know."

"Hey, that chair missed your skull, didn't it?" Nate joked.

Holding his thumb and finger the barest of inches apart, "By that much." His smile faded slowly and his expression sobered, "I'm sure that Humphrey and I can get along…or resist the urge to strangle one another long enough to have a fairly civilized conversation. You should head up. You really do look like shit."

"And that just sounds better every time you say it."

"I'm out of here, Nathaniel. And unless you want me riding your ass later about what a bitch you married…"

"Don't call her that."

Chuck continued, not even acknowledging that Nate had spoken. "You'll take better care of yourself. Go get some fucking rest because you do in fact look like shit. Really. Trust your boy."

"Yes, Mom."

"Good. And please don't ever call me that again."

Leaving Nathaniel to his own devices, Chuck set out to find the last person he ever considered working with. But besides the old scandal, Brooklyn had unearthed six years before, he couldn't think of anything else…couldn't fathom anyone who would come at him in quite this manner.

~ஐ~

Georgina was sick of playing around. She wanted to get on with the business of things but Waldorf still refused to cooperate. The other nurses were really starting to get on her case for her "disappearing acts" and damned if there wasn't always someone in Blair's goddamn room. Either staff or family or friends. Georgina couldn't quite understand what these people got out of it. They came in and sat there with B for hours. Talking as if she was taking any of it in. Didn't they get tired of that shit. Because quite frankly, she'd had about enough. She'd been pumping Blair full of McCarty's drug for a fucking week and still no prize.

Damn. It was time to cut her losses and just move ahead with the next phase of her plan. Then she'd take care of McCarty for selling her on his worthless science project.

~ஐ~

He wasn't at the hospital. Couldn't be found in his hotel room. It took a call to his stepsister for Chuck to find out where just the hell Dan Humphrey was hiding himself. He wasn't sure which was worst…the fact that he was traipsing all over New York in search of Dan Effing Humphrey or that he was about to ask the guy for help. He found Dan after hitting three out of four of his favorite hotspots which Serena had tipped him off on.

The New York Public Library. Where the hell else, Chuck shook his head, spotting his former classmate. So what now? Was Humphrey taking another stab at writing?

The other man was camped out in a dark corner. His laptop and paperwork taking up one table, but Brooklyn wasn't typing. He was looking through old microfilm….news clippings from the 1980s.

Fuck. He and Dan on the same wavelength. Utterly horrifying proposition.

"Humphrey." Voice soft, Chuck tapped the other man on the shoulder.

"Bass." Dan turned, his appearance as exhausted as Nate's had been earlier. The stress and strain of worrying over his little sister for the past few days showed. "What are you doing here? Researching your next takedown. Thought you hired people for that."

"Actually." Chuck took the seat across from him, "I was looking for you."

"Chuck Bass tracking me down…can't be good." Dan said.

Now comes the fun part. Chuck's eyes narrowed and he sat back against his chair. "Actually, Humph…Dan. I have a proposition for you."

"I'm listening."

Chuck jumped right in, "You already know about the other fires. I was talking to Nate earlier and we were thinking that there is the possibility that these fires are connected not to me…but my father." Tipping his chin to the microfilm that Dan had been scanning. "Seems you had the same idea."

"And?"

The bastard wasn't going to make things easy, was he? Chuck said, "And you want to find the person responsible for hurting your sister. I want the same. Why not combine our efforts?"

"You're asking for my help." Dan smiled, liking the idea.

"I'm asking that you—uh, contribute certain information in your possession. Information that will benefit us both." Chuck leaned forward, smile in place but his voice dangerously low. Reminding Dan of a large cat stalking its prey.

"You're not going to say it, are you? Fine." Dan gave in. "Where do you want to start?"

Chuck wanted to start and finish anywhere but right there with Humphrey. Still he didn't have any other choice.

"If this is about my father, then you might have the right idea. Let's start at the beginning. Do you have copies or any of the information that you dug up six years ago?"

"Nope. Gave it all to your father." Dan shook his head, "Do you think he might've hidden the information somewhere. Safety deposit box."

"My father wasn't a fool. He would've destroyed any and all evidence the minute it came into his hands. What about your source? The guy who put your onto the trail of the arson story."

Dan shot that down fast, "No. Seems he came into some money…not long after my initiation into journalism. Bart Bass covering his tracks again, right?"

"Thoroughly."

"So we're starting from scratch. Better get started then." Dan said, "Here we can get through this faster if we both look through them."

Chuck was about to suggest that he simply have his PI's take care of it but he thought of his words to Nate earlier. This was sensitive and though he paid his people damn well, he wasn't up to taking any chances with it. Not yet.

~ஐ~

Christmas Eve arrived and Jenny's prognosis was getting better with each passing day. She'd regained consciousness two days after the fire that destroyed her home and business almost destroyed her as well. The Humphrey family gathered that afternoon putting forth their best efforts at cheering up the youngest Humphrey. They sat together, recounting memories of Christmas past.

Meanwhile, the Bass family and all that came with them convened at Serena and Blair's alma mater. They filed inside the auditorium amongst the other families attending the Snowflake Recital featuring students from surrounding elementary and middle schools. Any other time and anyone else's children involved Chuck might've been wary of the night's coming entertainment. Sugarplums and Rudolph…yeah not his cup of tea. At least not without a boatload of scotch on standby.

Eleanor and Cyrus were already there with Harold, saving seats closest to the front. The girls still had yet to meet Blair's mother, and dear God if he hadn't heard enough about the woman over the past few days.

"Eleanor." He tipped his head politely. Reaching beyond her to shake hands with Harold and Cyrus. "No Roman?"

"He's taking a later flight. He'll be with us before Christmas but he insisted that I fly ahead. Get here in time for the girls' performance." He motioned to the closed curtain on stage.

"The girls can't wait to see you. Any of you." He told them meeting Eleanor's shocked eyes before turning his attention to Cyrus. "They saw the menorah by the way and you won't be surprised to learn that they feel the same as their mother concerning eight days of presents."

"Well, we'll be more than happy to oblige." Cyrus took Eleanor's hand and squeezing. "This beautiful lady dragged me from one store after another buying up the place. Buying up enough clothes and toys for ten children."

Rolling her eyes as Cyrus proceeded to give a complete rundown of her shopping exploits since landing back in New York, Eleanor turned to greet Lily and her children. "You look wonderful as ever. Serena where's that adorable little boy of yours."

"Carter has him for tonight. Dinner with the Baizen family. Then he'll drop him off tomorrow to open his presents from Santa." Serena explained.

It wasn't long before the overhead lights dimmed and none other than, Headmistress Queller mounted the stage.

"Good Evening, ladies and gentleman. This year, The Constance Billiard School for Girls has been lucky enough to be chosen as hosts to the Upper East Side Winter Carnival. Kicking off the events leading up to the New Year, we are happy to present The Nutcracker Prince starring grades kindergarten through 8. So please. Sit back and enjoy. I know your children all rehearsed their little hearts out…now we have the pleasure of watching them shine." She stepped away as the curtains opened slowly, revealing the elaborate set of a ballroom. A huge Christmas tree sat center stage, with piles of colorfully wrapped presents beneath.

Kat and Evie's class were up first. The little girls all wore ball gowns and slippers to match in varying shades of red, yellow, and green. Each girl wore their hair up in a neat bun, with ribbons and bows somehow intertwined and streaming from the heads. The little boys wore tuxes and matching tails.

Chuck stole a glance at Eleanor who seemed entranced at the sight onstage as the girls curtseyed to their partners and began "waltzing" for all of two minutes before they were shooed off to the sidelines, their chins cupped in the palms and dark eyes watching closely as the play began to unfold. He knew they'd be in action again before the entire thing was through…he'd listened to silly song their had to rehearse enough to be able to sing along with them…not that he planned to. Maybe things wouldn't turn out so bad after all.

~ஐ~

This was definitely her last night in this hell hole. She'd officially had enough. McCarty's little experiment was a complete bust and now the bastard was AWOL. No matter. She'd find him soon enough. For now it was time to take care of Queen B.

Georgina set off for her rounds one last time. Ignoring the old lady in 308. Why couldn't they all be like Blair. So accommodating. Well mostly. Georgina had been kinda looking forward to B waking up _finally_. It would just be so much less fun destroying everything Chuck and Serena cared about without Blair awake so that she could feel it too. All them a little heaven before sending them all to hell.

Oh, well. Plans change. She could be flexible. B's swan song wouldn't have the oompf, Georgina had been going for but damned if they wouldn't feel it. She let herself into Blair's room, fingers curving around the syringe in her pocket.

"Time's up, B." She said.

~ஐ~

The darkness pulled at her again, black, sticky tar that left her heavy and unmoving. She heard their voices. Her mother's. Dorota's. Chuck's. Right there. Beyond the dark. Mixing together and fading away. Too far for her to follow. She was tired. She wanted to swim but the dark wouldn't release its grip.

She gasped out suddenly, the blackness filling her insides, corroding and killing. It hurt. Her chest. It burned. Everything burned.

"Time to let go, Blair." A familiar voice pierced darkness and pain.

The pain came again, sharper, grinding into her.

_It hurts. Make it stop, _she cried out and tried to get closer to that commanding voice. _It hurts!_

"You have to let go." It said. He said.

_I don't know how, _she tried. Tried burrowing deeper into the darkness, closer to the voice. But even as she pushed her chest tightened with that damn pain. She wanted to reach out and hit something, someone but there was no one. Only the darkness and that damned voice. Familiar. It sounded…it sounded like…_Mr. Bass. Bart!!!_

That was the voice. With a new surge of energy she pushed on. Trying to get closer to Mr. Bass. Chuck father. He'd make it stop.

"Not to me. To him. You need to go back, Blair." He ordered, "Let go before it's too late. Time's almost up."

Blair screamed out as white hot fire seemed to ignite, piercing every part of her. She blinked, blobs of color and light eating away at the darkness, crowding it out. _I don't want to go! Mr. Bass!!!! _

The pain took over again, making her chest feel as if it were ready to explode. Then all was dark again and she knew nothing more, but sweet relief then nothing at all.

**TBC**

**A/N:** The whole way through this…or atleast CB's parts Bloc Party's Biko kept running through my head. And like I said this came out superlong but don't think ya'll be too mad at me about that…so what'd you think. I will be updating ASAP…our show is on as we speak and so I'm gone. New CB. :snoopydance:

Courtney


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Not as long as the last. And I even slipped a little something extra in with the story. Thought it fit perfectly. You'll see what I mean soon enough. You guys are love and so amazing. Thanks for the continued words and show of support. Things are getting harder…timewise…there's just not enough time in the world but still loving writing this and sharing it with you. Hugs all around to my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers. Lynnie sweetie, you rock as always. Miss you miss you miss you and can't wait till you get back :kisses:

* * *

**Chapter 9 **

Okay so the night hadn't quite turned out as boring he'd feared. Only once or twice had he been seized by the sudden urge to sneak from the darkened auditorium for a smoke. Or just the open air. He didn't leave, of course. There were the simple facts that he'd have to climb over Eleanor and company to get out, and that but for rare occasions, he'd pretty much kicked the habit. Or Dorota had kicked it for him after she'd caught the twins mummified in his scarves and ties, trying to eat the damn things.

Once the curtain fell on the final act, the stage grew crowded as _all _of the children took their turns offering a final curtsey and bow to their audience. Chuck headed backstage, bringing along Harold and an increasingly nervous Eleanor with him.

"Grandpa!" The twins bumped their father out of the way to get to Harold. A smile playing at his mouth and shaking his head, Chuck stepped back to allow the older man his due. He went to stand beside Eleanor to wait for his turn and watch the two children with their beloved Grandpa Harold.

"My girls!" Harold scooped them both up in his arms, covering their cheeks with smacking kisses.

Kat grinned, "Did you see? Did you see us?"

"You bet I did and I must say…brava, ladies. Brava." Harold said, "I will of course be expecting a repeat performance later. And again tomorrow for Grandpa Roman, no?"

They nodded. Evie pecked his cheek with a quick kiss, before looking around to see her father standing with Eleanor. Seeing them, the little girl elbowed her sister, winning a scowl and Evie's undivided attention.

Harold set them down, his smile growing wider as they contemplated their grandmother with curiosity and then shy smiles.

Chuck watched them. They didn't give her the same welcome as Harold had received. Which was to be expected, but their manner was far more polite and bordering on restrained than he'd expected. Shy and restrained didn't last long around his daughters, especially not around his little Evie. He waited but none of the three females appeared apt to do more than stand their and stare at one another. Kat peeked around at him, her eyes nervous and beckoning. Then she went back to staring at Eleanor.

Telling himself that he'd done the right thing. Chuck stepped forward claiming the attention of the wary threesome. The girls turned to him, relaxing immediately and offering him ready smiles. He handed Kat and Evie, both, one single pink rose that was in full bloom. Both Lily and Serena had applauded his choice, saying the girls would adore the idea of receiving the blooms after their performance. According to Lily he'd chosen well in hue as well for it signified elegance, tender love and grace.

Ofcourse, Chuck hadn't been considering any of that when he'd had his secretary order the things. These days, the twins were suddenly obsessed with all things pink after a years of considering it too 'girly' and 'overdone' for their tastes. But he a part of him loved Lily's assessment. It was befitting of them both. "For you, Evie. And my Kat. A little something for your command performance."

"Thank you."

"Thanks, Daddy."

They took his offering, grinning, but soon enough their eyes darted back to the woman at his back. Reaching out for their free hands, he led them over to Blair's mother. "Girls, allow me to introduce you to Eleanor Waldorf-Rose. Your grandmother."

Slowly, the girls moved closer to the woman, their small bodies becoming less rigid the more Eleanor herself seemed to relax. Their smiles were less nervous and they released their death grip on Chuck's hands to allow themselves to be pulled into that first quick hug from Blair's mother. Eleanor complimented their performances and began regaling them with secondhand tales of Blair's exploits and recitals throughout grade school. She might not have made them all but pictures and video from Dorota and Harold's actual presence at Blair's performances filled the gaps. And finally the connection sparked. Another person who'd known their mother. The mystery woman, their mommy. The sleeping woman who reminded them of the princesses from Dorota's bedtime stories.

As Blair's mother spoke of the plays and dance recitals, Chuck's mind reeled to another night…another stage, where she'd danced for herself. And for him. An unconscious smile curved his lips.

Harold's cell phone buzzed to life, bringing Chuck back to himself and where he was . He shifted, uncomfortably. And was grateful when Blair's father stepped back a few steps reaching for his phone.

"That's probably Roman. Wanting details." Harold smiled, turning away.

Chuck shoved his hands in his pockets, giving the appearance of indolence and complete relaxation as he leaned against a pillar. Forcing his body to behave and his mind back to the byplay between grandmother and granddaughters. The thought of Eleanor and their unsteady truce did the trick.

The three seemed to have found their footing. Eleanor still left him worried. He didn't think that he'd ever be able to completely drop his guard after what she'd done, but watching them Chuck once again felt as if he'd done the right thing. Even if it left him nervous as fuck.

"Can we call you Granny?" This from Evie, of course. And she back.

Eleanor made a face at this idea, lips pursed. She said, "Don't think I look like the 'Granny' type? What's wrong with grandma? Or grandmother?" She frowned at that, as well. Blair's mother looked at Chuck but her next words were without their usual bite. "Granny, Charles really."

"This is Harold Waldorf. How can I...when?" Something in the older man's voice pulled Chuck's attention back. Phone at his ear, Blair's usually robust and affable father was deathly still. His face ashen and expression nothing less than grim. "Fine. No, of course…I'll be there."

Chuck caught the older man's eye, quirking one questioning brow. All the while his stomach felt as if it were ready to drop away. He knew that face. He'd heard that tone before.

"No, don't bother. They're actually both here with me. I'll relay the news." He was saying into the phone.

"Blair." Chuck said quietly, as Harold disconnected his words too quiet to reach the trio only a few feet away.

Harold nodded quickly before pasting a stiff smile on his face, "Eleanor, I'm sure Lily and the others are anxiously awaiting us and our little stars. Come, you'll have time to talk more later.

The woman looked up, her expression one fully prepared to argue until she caught the tight, wary expressions on Chuck and Harold's faces. "Of course. Come along, girls." She ushered them forward, looking at Harold with questioning eyes as the excited girls started to the front without them. Once the girls were out of earshot, she didn't waste time demanding, "What's going on?"

"It's Blair. She's been rushed to St. Vincent's." Harold told them, gripping his ex-wife's hand in support.

"What happened?" Chuck asked.

"They think it was a myocardial infarction." Harold told them.

"A heart attack?" Eleanor questioned, looking to be on the verge of one herself.

Harold nodded solemnly. "We need to go."

"Charles? Charles…" Eleanor's call pierced the roar in his ears, making him realize that he'd stopped following them. His feet firmly, planted where he stood.

She wasn't dead. She couldn't be dead. He needed her. Blair couldn't go. Not like this.

_For my sweetheart, the melancholic_

_You have crossed the River Styx_

_And the waves have taken you away_

~ஐ~

Georgina tried McCarty's phone again and still received no answer. Where had that little bastard disappeared to? She was feeling much less bloodthirsty now. He'd warned of the possible side effects that came along with his little project. And she'd just witnessed proof enough of it with own eyes.

She'd been seconds from putting B out of her misery and ramping up Chuck's, when the monitors had started going crazy. Blair's entire body started spasming and the other woman's eyelids flickered and fluttered as if she were preparing to awaken. She hadn't though. Georgina had been debating just what course of action to take when the other nurse scheduled for the evening had come rushing inside, alerted by all the bells and whistles from B's monitors.

Georgina haul tailed it out of there when the others started pouring in, alerted by those same alarms. No way did Georgina want to hang around for any questions that were sure to follow when they called it. McCarty had assured her that no trace of the drug should be found during surface testing but an autopsy might be something else entirely.

She figured that it would be a good idea to lay low and watch the fallout before the time came for the next phase in her plan. "S, don't think I've forgotten you. Not at all." Smiling, she turned up the music and floored it, getting the hell out of New York. Chuck would be sight to behold from afar…very, very far…when his beloved Blair was truly and permanently beyond his reach.

~ஐ~

_As I lay my head on your chest_

_I can hear it in your veins_

_Wake me up when you come to bed._

_So toughen up, _

_Biko, toughen up, Biko toughen up_

_The world isn't kind to little things_

They arrived at the hospital. Blair's parents, Chuck, and Serena, while Lily and the others returned to Chuck's for the night with the twins. They figured Eric and Cyrus could create enough of a distraction between them to keep the twins from noticing their father and newfound grandmother's sudden absence. Part of this was accomplished by the pile of gifts Eleanor and Cyrus arrived with. Eight not so small gifts, signifying the eight days of Chanukah, enough to whet their taste for the coming morning, to make them forget for a while just who was missing at home.

Eleanor began badgering the doctors and nurses the moment they hit the floor, demanding an immediate rundown of her daughter's condition. Harold took up the slack trying to smooth over tempers and ruffled feathers. Meanwhile, Chuck sat back. He was quiet and gazed from the window, hands out of sight and fisted in his pockets.

Hours had passed. At one point the primary cardiologist, Dr. Reeves, came out to talk to them to confirm that Blair had indeed suffered a cardiopulmonary infarction. They were assessing damage to her heart and lungs but so far it appeared minor in nature. They were also attempting to find out what might have set it off. There were no immediately apparent blockages to the organ, but they wanted to run further tests before offering a firmer diagnosis. He left them with that.

Serena glanced at her watch and saw that it was just after midnight and more than an hour after Harold finally convinced his ex-wife to let the doctors do their work without interruption. She cast a worried glance in her stepbrother's direction. She didn't think that he'd moved once since Reeves first came out to talk to the family.

She started to call Nate before remembering that he was still on shift. He and his partner were on some crazy-ass stakeout. She'd called him with news of Blair before remembering. Now she was worried about them all. The last thing that any of them needed was for Nate to get distracted enough that he ended up getting shot. Again.

Chuck had tried talking him into taking a job at Bass Industries after the shooting. Or something with his grandfather. But Nate would not be deterred. He loved being a cop. Helping people. Righting wrongs. Serena sorely wished there was a way that he could do that without having a gun riding his hip.

"Hey, mind if I sit down." Serena looked up to find Dan standing a few feet away.

"Dan. Hi, you…you didn't have to come." She said, happy despite her words that he had come. "But…yeah…of course. Sit down."

"Thanks." He handed her a cup of coffee, "Thought you might appreciate this…brought enough for everyone else, but they all look… pretty wired already."

"Thank you." She looked around the almost empty waiting room again. On one-side, Eleanor alternated between pacing and moving from one chair to another, shifting uncomfortably, every few seconds. Harold seemed to be watching some black and white movie, but kept checking his watch every few minutes. And Chuck still hadn't moved away from that damn window. He didn't make any nervous movements or actions but his shoulders were tense, and his expression seem carved from granite.

"Any news?" Dan asked, softly, leaning close so that his mouth was bare inches from her ear.

Not the place, she told herself, pushing down the quick thrill that shot through her at his closeness. Serena quickly gave him a rundown of the information they'd gotten earlier from the doctor, which was basically only repetition of what she'd told him over the phone, her voice small and worried to his ears, the more she spoke. She'd tried putting on a brave front but he'd heard the cracks even through the phone line.

"How are you holding up?" He asked her now.

She looked in Chuck's direction again, "Do you remember? After Bart's death. Do you remember how _he_ was?"

Dan followed her gaze, nodding slowly, his tone dry. "Search and destroy mode. Healthy appetite for self-destruction. Yeah, I think can remember the highlights." He reached out to squeeze her arm, "I was thinking about you, though."

"So was I," She laughed, mirthlessly. "I'm scared of what will happen, if B doesn't pull through this. He barely made it through Bart's death but if he loses Blair…" She shook her head, dread in her eyes.

Chuck heard them, despite their attempts and hushed whispers, over the sound of Harold's movie, their words reached him. He understood, Serena's fear. He was worried himself. Chuck could already feel himself slipping. If it hadn't meant that he'd have to leave the hospital to get it, he'd be halfway through a quart of scotch. Anything to start numbing himself…he didn't want to feel it when the doctors spoke the words. He didn't want to feel that emptiness that had taken him over after he'd found out about his father's accident. After he'd seen his father, dead on some metal slab, covered by nothing but a white sheet.

_Not Blair_, he closed his eyes, trying to picture her face. Not comatose, but as she'd been the night of the Snowflake Ball, in the limo. Trading verbal jabs with him. Making love to him. Her eyes light and happy, content that though neither of them had yet to say those words, that it was there. That they were in love.

"Mr. and Mrs. Waldorf." The doctor's voice claimed everyone's attention.

"Here. Here." Eleanor hurried over, not bothering to correct him. Chuck walked over slowly, not even aware of his hands curling into fists until Serena reached out, covering one with an open palm.

He nodded at her, expression never softening as he waited.

"Okay, well we're still not sure what brought on the heart attack. We ran a few tests and so far things are inconclusive. There other labs we'll be sending out, might give us better answers but not for days at least." Dr. Reeves told them. "There is good news. The damage to the heart was minimal and there doesn't, at this time, appear to be any lasting effects."

"Thank God." Eleanor said, hugging Harold and then reaching for the shocked doctor. "Thank you. When can we see her? I want to see my daughter."

The man blinked at her quickly the woman's gratitude disappeared, her expression becoming fierce and demanding. "Of course. We've moved her into a private room. Only two of you can go at a time, though."

Eleanor and Harold immediately started out of the room ready to follow the doctor, but stopped to glance back at Chuck.

He nodded, wordlessly. Privately grateful to delay the inevitable. Allow time for the reality of the doctor's words to sink in and for the darkness that had been closing in on him to recede. To let it to seep into the background where it had been hovering, threatening to descend since he came back to New York, five years before.

His reprieve lasted all of ten minutes before, Serena convinced him to sneak past the nurses and doctors. Though he wouldn't exactly call it sneaking. They walked purposefully down white hallways, looking through anyone who might question them, putting on the air of belonging. Neither Eleanor, nor Harold appeared particularly surprised when he and Serena slipped inside the private room.

Chuck took a breath seeing white sheets and the beeping monitor. Then Harold moved aside and there she was.

Unaware of anything, anyone else, Chuck waited for that twinge of disappointed that always hit when he found her still fast asleep, like some fairytale princess who'd forgotten the part she was suppose to play. He'd played his part, bestowing the promised kiss but she never woke up. Maybe he wasn't her prince after all. None of that matter to him right now.

He smiled a little, swallowing past the lump in his throat. She hadn't left him. She hadn't let go. The darkness inside faded even faster, granting gentle reprieve.

Sitting down at her side, Chuck took her hand and sighed out his shaky relief.

~ஐ~

After Serena disappeared with Chuck, he started to leave the hospital but found himself back in the Burn Unit for the third time that day. She was awake. Just as he'd thought she'd be. The television playing, but her attention was on the white gauze and bandages covering her right arm. Her right hand. The sheet covered the other bandages swathing part of her back and thigh.

"Had a feeling that you'd still be up." He closed the door gently behind him.

"What are you doing back here, Dan?" Jenny asked, quietly. She didn't look up.

He sat down, "I thought you could use the company."

"You thought wrong."

"Jen. Tomorrow's Christmas." He said, "I don't want you to be alone tonight. I want to hang out with my little sister…if that's okay with you."

She was quiet, still staring at her hand. "What if…"

"What Jenny? You can say it."

She shook her head. Looking up at the TV. "Do you remember this one? Is this the one where she gets arrested for passing counterfeit money and Ricky has to talk through all those different translators?"

"No. I think this is the one at the vineyard." He sat back against the chair, watching her smile a little as she watched the old rerun.

"I like that one." She almost smiled, "I hope they show the one with the cough syrup. Can't believe Lucy got plastered with that stuff. You love that one."

"Crack up every time." Dan nodded.

They sat quietly, watching one episode after another. Forgetting themselves and laughing softly. He saw her start to drop off.

"You can go now, if you're tired." She told him.

"No way. They still haven't shown my episode yet. You go ahead to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Okay." She yawned suddenly, reminding him even more of the little girl she'd been.

"I'm not going anywhere." He told her again, but she was already out.

~ஐ~

_Was my love not strong enough to_

_Bring you back from the dead?_

_If I could eat your cancer I would, but I can't_

Chuck didn't remember falling asleep, but knew that he must be sleeping. He was having that damn dream again. That Blair was somehow awake but continually slipping away from him. No matter how much he called out for her. Begged her. It didn't matter.

"Charles." He felt himself being shaken from his sleep. Again. Instead of the anger and embarrassment he'd felt with Humphrey, he felt only gratitude when he looked up at Harold. "Hello."

"Hey." Chuck glanced around the room to see Eleanor curled up in the chair across from him. He didn't see his stepsister anywhere.

"I sent Serena home a few hours ago. Now it's your turn, young man." Harold said forestalling Chuck's coming protest with a lift of the hand, "Yes. It's after five. Dawn will be here soon and my granddaughters will be expecting their father's presence when they wake up. It's Christmas Morning, after all."

He'd actually forgotten. Chuck glanced at his timepiece to see the truth of the older man's words. Realizing that even in sleep he'd still been gripping Blair's hand tightly, holding her close even while he rested. After a moment Chuck forced himself to let her go. "Merry Christmas, Waldorf."

"What are you going to tell them? About Blair? They won't be expecting her…to be _here_."

"I'll figure something out." Chuck shrugged into his overcoat. He said his goodbyes. Casting one last look at B before heading out. He didn't even realize that it had started snowing until he was outside and the tiny flakes began collecting in his hair.

The ride home passed in a blur of time. Dawn's fingers had yet to lighten the sky into the realm of day. Only on the elevator ride upstairs did he remember the veritable mountain of wrapped gifts that he'd hidden away. Putting them away from overly curious eyes until it was time for them to go under the tree.

"Fuck." Cursing his thoughtlessness. He tried figuring how much time he had before Kat and Evie came careening at him, eager to see what Santa had left in his wake. Not nearly enough.

Hurrying off the elevator, he was already starting for the pantry when he caught sight of the gifts in question already surrounding the tree, ready and waiting for the little girls sleeping upstairs. Dorota. The woman was efficient. He'd have to up this year's bonus.

"Oh, you're kidding me, right." He shook his head, catching sight of the pyramid of giant, pink and brown stuffed puppies sitting off to the side. Damn things were as big as the twins. Cyrus hadn't been kidding about Eleanor going crazy, shopping for Kat and Evie.

Chuck scooped up the smallest from the top of the puppy pyramid and sank down in the closest armchair. His lids slid shut again, heavy and insistent before he even realized that sleep was upon him again. Just a few more minutes. He had a feeling that he'd need every one of them.

~ஐ~

_So I keep writing these songs for you_

_To steal you from your grave_

_We can dance in a front room again_

She heard the beeping first and still the darkness was upon her but not as heavy and clinging. She waited for the pain, but it remained at bay, just at the edge. She wanted to laugh, so happy that the pain had gone but the laughter clogged in her throat.

Blair coughed softly, her eyes fluttering up. The darkness seeming to fade completely as blurred colors came to her again. She blinked trying to make her eyes focus and ever so slowly they did.

The darkness was gone and her eyes were open and staring at the rosy pink ceiling but her body still felt heavy. She frowned as she commanded her arms and legs to move but they refused. Blair tried wiggling her toes but couldn't work up the energy to lift her head to see if she'd been successful. Her panic started to grow as she tried to move again.

"What's wrong with me?" The hoarse, paper-thin whisper sounded rusty to her own ears. Was that her?

Her heart thundering now in her own ears and that damn beeping coming fast and hard, Blair tried to move her arms and legs again. Relief surged in her as her body finally obeyed her commands, shifting and lifting. It was slight and she was weak as hell but she could move.

What was wrong with her? She wanted her mom. She wanted Dorota.

Blair tried calling out again and started coughing, her body heaving. "Mom?" the soft whisper came out.

~ஐ~

_Every tear you shed is cleansing_

_Taking the pain away from you_

_I left blueberries in the fridge_

_The little things that I can do_

Chuck was showering while the girls inventoried their haul of loot. Convincing Dorota to help them name their new dolls and for the third time that morning they re-decorated each and every room in their new dollhouse. They'd played dress-up in the expensive scarves and ties that he'd bought just for that purpose. Fake crowns and jewelry adorning their small bodies.

He hadn't said a word to them about their mother. He still hadn't figured out quite what to tell them. Neither Serena, nor Lily had been much help either when he'd called earlier.

Chuck stepped out of the shower and had just wrapped a towel around his hips when Dorota came bursting in the door. Expression deadpan and going on autopilot, he murmured. "Dorota, my dear. I thought we'd settled on your Christmas bonus already."

"Sorry, Mr. Chuck. Phone for you." Her round face was full of light and smiles. "It's Miss Blair's papa for you. Could not wait. Sorry."

He took the phone without thought. Chuck wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't the words heard from Harold two seconds later. "Chuck Bass."

"Charles, it's Harold. You need get back here. You need to get back here right now."

Was the old man smiling? "What's going on, Harold?" Chuck asked, every passing moment feeling more surreal than the last.

"She's awake, Charles. Blair's awake!"

_Don't you know that when you stand_

_You stand up for both of us?_

_Remember that when the darkness looms_

_(You're not doing this alone)_

_…………_

_I need you to be strong for us_

**TBC**

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**A/N:** And there you have it. And this time I promise it's for real. Queen B is back however this doesn't mark an end to the trials and troubles plaguing CB and those around them. There's much more in store so stick close. Again the song is not mine….it's Biko by Bloc Party. It's been living in my head for days along with this story. Reminding me endlessly of these moments and how much I wanted to write though cruel fate kept me away from my laptop...damn work anyway, lol. Hope you guys liked this. As always let me know what you're thinking. And I'll update as soon as possible.

Courtney


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Another longer one for you guys. And Yay she's awake…I was getting frustrated myself wanting to write actual present CB with B awake :lol: but needed certain things to happen first. And yea…Christmas, cliché but who cares. Couldn't resist a little magic…well in spirit for our favorite Bass and UESers. You guys are love. Thanks so very much fall all of your words and the continued show of support. Sorry this took so long to get to you but life and work has a way of butting in when you just want to play. So of course this continues to be fun to write. Hope you continue enjoying it as much as I am executing it. Quadruple hugs all around to my fellow CBers, fanforum buddies, and reviewers (you know why...CB always babies :D ). Lynnie glad to have you back honey and I don't know what I'd do without my other pair of eyes and soundingboard. :kiss:

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**Chapter 10**

Nate looked up smiling as the elevator dinged, announcing the newest arrival to the Bass apartment. That smile faded when he caught sight of none other than his estranged wife stepping off. He glanced down at the twins who were too focused on their new toys to notice Vanessa's presence. Nate hurried, towards the dark-haired woman, who appeared so ill at ease especially when she saw his thunderous expression. He moved towards her, his sole-intent not finding out just what the hell she was doing there but getting her out before Kat or Evie spotted her.

"Ow, you're hurting me." She cried softly as he gripped her wrist and started leading her back towards the elevator. "What are you doing?"

He loosened his hold but didn't let her go completely. He didn't answer her but surprised them both, bypassing the elevator and heading for the kitchen.

"Nate. Stop it. What do you think you're doing?"

"Just what I was going to ask you." He said once they were in the empty kitchen. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to drop these off for Evie and Kat." She lifted shopping bag on her arm. He could make out shiny, green wrapping peeking from the tote. "I would've brought them days ago, but I…well."

"Got too busy with your boyfriend." Nate supplied.

She shook her head, "That's not what I was going to say. Listen…Nate, I don't want to fight with you. I didn't drop them off sooner because I didn't want to bump into you."

"Oh…okay. So instead of coming on a day when I was most likely working…you wait until Christmas morning when you know I'm going to be off. Makes sense." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I wasn't ready to see you before. And wasn't sure of what kind of welcome your best friend would have in store…so I kept putting things off." She said, "I was half expecting the staff not to let me upstairs."

At her tight, uncomfortable laugh, Nate felt the anger and sense of betrayal that he'd been burying deep surge forward. "Yeah, well thanks for reminding me. I'll be sure that Chuck speaks with the front desk…_today_."

She looked away from, but not before he glimpsed the hurt and unshed tears in her eyes.

He shook off the guilt trying to take hold of him. This wasn't his fault. Why should he feel guilty? She'd been the unfaithful one. After weeks of accusing, him…it had been her.

"I picked up the phone to call you…to talk to you but I didn't know what to say." She told him.

"How long?" Nate demanded, and went on to clarify when she turned those glassy, confused eyes on him. "Huh, Vanessa. How long have you been fucking someone else?"

"Nate, don't."

"You wanted to talk? Well, this is what I want to talk about." He stepped closer to her, getting in her face. "I spent the last few days going over everything in my head. All the details. Trying to figure out the when…who."

"It doesn't matter."

"Damn well matters to me. Answer the question, Vanessa." Nate crowded her and she backpedaled until the edge of the kitchen island dug into her back and there was no where else to go. "Give me something here. Do you love him?"

"No." Vanessa answered immediately.

"Okay, so you were screwing him, then. Jeez, I just feel so much better." Nate's laughter filled the room, without humor and tinged with all that he was feeling. Anything else that he might've said. That he wanted to say was lost as Dorota came barging in.

"There you are. Mr. Chuck look for you. You must come now. It's Miss Blair." She said, looking out of breath.

"Dammit." Nate started from the kitchen all his worst fears for his oldest friends coming to mind.

"What's going on with Blair?" Vanessa asked but didn't receive an answer as both Nate and the maid hurried from the kitchen, leaving her to trail in their wake.

Chuck was already at the elevator, stabbing the button as he yanked on his overcoat. His hair was still damp from his shower and his expression appeared shell-shocked.

"Mr. Chuck, you catch cold if you go out like that." Dorota was admonishing.

"I'll be fine." Chuck stabbed at the elevator button again as if he hadn't just done so, bare seconds before.

"What's going on?" Nate asked them.

When Chuck didn't immediately answer, Dorota turned back to them with bright eyes. "Mr. Harold call with very good news." She began excitedly but then lowered her voice when Chuck stared pointedly at the little girls playing behind them. She lowered her voice to a hushed whisper. "He say she wake up."

For a moment Nate was confused. Her words and the twosome's strange behavior sinking in for him. Blair was awake. He repeated the words in his mind. Once. Twice. Trying to make them seem real, but she'd been gone for such a long time.

"Oh my god. That's amazing." Vanessa said from behind him. Chuck cast her a glance seeming to realize she was there for the first time. He looked ready to ask what the hell she was doing there and turned to Nate, his expression distracted, eyes curious.

Nate shook his head. _Not now_.

"Mr. Chuck." Dorota wrung her clasped hands, "Blair's papa say she ask for me. I come as well. Please."

The flash of jealousy in his best friend's eyes was so quick that if he'd blinked or Nate would've missed it completely. So Blair had asked for Dorota. Dorota and not Chuck. His friend's expression became unreadable as he considered the maid's request. They all looked glanced around at the two little girls who were still oblivious to the new drama and upheaval going on around them.

"I called Lily. She'll be here soon." Chuck said, sounding torn.

Dorota nodded slowly. Disappointment seeping into her expression though he hadn't said the words yet. She tried to smile and cover up.

"I can stay and wait for her. Follow you guys, as soon as, she comes." Nate offered. Tossing a grateful glance at Nate, she turned back to Chuck, trying not to show how hopeful she was feeling but her eyes shone with it.

"You should go too, Nate." Vanessa said, "You've all known one another forever. I can stay with the girls."

Nate hadn't been oblivious over the past few months, the way his wife had began distancing herself from the twins and Serena's little boy. Especially after the second miscarriage. She'd stopped coming with him to visit his best friend and goddaughters. No longer joining in on their trips to the Garden to for the Knicks or a Rangers game, just to hang out with the twins. All of that stopped. Then once she'd cut herself off from the children in their lives, she'd began distancing herself from him, as well.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Nate said, as the elevator dinged and Chuck and Dorota hurried inside.

"Nate, go. It's just until Lily comes. Then I'm gone….I swear." Vanessa said.

Chuck made an impatient sound, "Nathaniel, let's go. Blair's waiting. You and…your wife can finish your little discussion or what the hell ever, another time. I insist. Let's go." To Vanessa he added glaring, "Not a word to them about their mother. Not one."

"Of course not."

Vanessa stood in the same spot, watching until the three disappeared behind the elevator doors. She'd considered leaving Kat and Evie's gifts with the front desk, but waking up another day to her empty house…Christmas morning without Nate had proven to be too much. She'd told herself that she'd come up. Give the girls their presents. If Nate happened to hanging around, she'd look her fill. Fulfill the need to just be near him. She wouldn't break down. She wouldn't tell him how much she missed him. She wouldn't beg him to come home because they didn't really belong together after all. She'd just see him and that would be enough.

Yeah right, her mouth curved into a self-deprecating smile. Thank God Dorota had come in when she had. She should feel relief. It was good. Vanessa repeated those words to herself and walked over to the two little girls she hadn't seen in…wow. Two months? Damn.

"Hey, guys. Remember me." She smiled, waiting for the old pain and self-pity to wash over her. But it didn't. The sadness was still there and she had more than enough self-pity to go around, but it had nothing to do with the little girls smiling up at her.

They came at her, asking where she'd been. Full of stories of all that she'd missed. Telling her about meeting their Grandma Eleanor and the recital she'd hneglected to attend the night before. They even gave her a quick rundown of the last Rangers game they'd attended with Nate and their father. But they readily forgave her, especially for her most recent offense, offering to reenact the entire show from the night before.

Vanessa settled back to watch their performance, wondering how they were going to deal with suddenly having the mom they'd never know. Not for the first time, she envied Blair Waldorf. For being someone who Nate's grandparents would've readily accepted. For not just being able to give the man she loved a child but for the two little girls themselves.

The elevator ride down was deathly silent as the three occupants gave themselves over to their own thoughts. Wondering what that first moment would be like. Joyful at the thought of seeing the girl who'd been like a daughter. Fear and love warring to dominance at the thought of being reunited with his lover and the mother of his children. Memories of a little girl who'd called him her prince and all the ways they had grown apart as they grew older and the friend he'd missed even before she'd left them all.

While taken up wholly by his thoughts of Blair and what her awakening meant for his best friend, Nate couldn't stop his mind from wandering to the woman they'd just left in the apartment. He should hate her and a part of him really did, but still he worried for her. How she was handling being with the girls again. Was she still hurting?

Blair. Think about Blair. He ordered himself, pushing thoughts of Vanessa and their crumbled marriage to the far parts of his mind.

~ஐ~

Grace Kelly. Audrey. Katherine. Blair started to close her eyes but then thought better of it. She'd had more than enough of the dark to last a lifetime. So instead she breathed in, breathed out. Repeating the steady mantra in her head.

Grace. Audrey. Katherine. She was a young lady now. Eighteen. A true lady. She would not shriek. She would not threaten…_again_. Blair smiled now at the closest nurse. The woman offered an unsteady smile of her own, her expression confused and her eyes darting to the as yet unused restraints at each side of the hospital bed.

Blair resisted the urge to roll her eyes, the damn woman acted as if she thought that Blair might pounce on her at any second. _For godsakes_, Blair huffed out a breath, ditching Grace and Audrey for the moment.

Her head was starting to feel less fuzzy than before and though her entire body still felt so incredibly weak and heavy, Blair found that she could move with more ease. She'd barely gotten ten minutes with her parents, both of them crying and hugging her before the swarm of doctors and nurses descended on them, kicking her protesting parents from the room, well her protesting mother, at any rate.

They'd come at her, poking and prodding. Asking their endless questions. All the while dancing around _her_ questions and ignoring all of Blair's demands to see her parents again. They told her that she'd see them soon enough but wanted to check her over first. But if just one more person shined their stupid penlight in her eyes, she was going to shove it somewhere that would've made Grace and Audrey cringe…Defiant Katherine, though, would surely approve.

The nurse left promising that she'd return in just a few minutes. Only she didn't come right back. Another onslaught of nurses invaded instead, ready to poke and prod anew, armed with even more questions.

She wanted to tell them how utterly ridiculous they looked, wearing those cheesy Santa hats. A particularly, heinous broach one of the nurses' had pinned on her lapel caught Blair's attention. The thing was gaudy and butt ugly.

A catty remark on the tip of her tongue, the fog that had clouded her mind lifted even further and her mind worked starting to make connections. She turned her head, her eyes narrowed trying to see beyond the vertical blinds slit just open enough to give her the barest peek outside. Head tipped to the side, Blair found that if she listened carefully enough, over the noise of the monitors and staff she could hear tiny pings hitting the glass. It was snowing?

"It's almost Christmas?" She frowned, turning confused eyes on…Sir Ridiculous and Madame Gaudy.

The woman smiled at her, "Christmas Day. You've given your family one heck of a present, Miss Waldorf."

It was Christmas. The panic from when she'd first awakened came hammering back at her. December? Her hand slid down to the flat span of where the Belly should've been. She didn't feel full to bursting anymore. There was no one in there constantly driving her crazy, wanting attention. Nothing but empty space.

Blair looked back at the nurse still smiling down at her, "I want to see my mother and I want to see her right this minute. The next person who lays hands on me will regret it."

She wanted them. Needed both her parents back with her right now. It was all too much. The need for air pressed down on her, her breathing coming faster and louder to her own ears.

"Now, Miss Waldorf." Sir Ridiculous started over, his tone placating. "I need you to calm down. We'll get your parents in here as soon as possible."

"Want them now? What's wrong with me?" She slapped his hand away when he tried to put an oxygen mask over her face. "I –told—you—not to—touch me."

He tried again, "That's going to be a little difficult. We're trying to help."

Spots danced across her vision, as simply breathing became more and more of an effort. "My parents."

"If you don't start cooperating. I will have to give you something that will calm you down. You feel like sleeping again so soon, Miss Waldorf?" He asked, trying and succeeding placing the oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. "Good. Now just breathe. Nice and deep."

Blair hated giving in, but she didn't want to sleep again or be so pumped with sedatives that she couldn't half see or think straight.

She wanted Harold and Eleanor…where was in the hell Dorota. She needed Ch…Blair frowned, cutting herself off before she could complete that last thought.

Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly. She breathed in and out. Filling her lungs with the oxygen pumping through the mask, ignoring how claustrophobic the mask covering her mouth and nose made her feel. Remember Sir Ridiculous' threat. She'd play their game. Calm herself. After that, well, all bets were off.

~ஐ~

By the time Chuck's trio arrived at St. Vincent's, they found that somehow Serena had already beat them there and instead of being able to see Blair immediately, they were relegated to the same waiting room where he'd spent most of the previous night, cooling his heels.

Serena was on the phone, trying to carry on her side of the hushed argument she had going on with her child's father, "I'm sorry if my best friend finally waking up puts a cramp in your _big _plans but prospective…this is your son whom you claim…yeah whatever Carter. Dammit, just go to my place long enough to let him open a few of his presents. Then you can drop him at Chuck's with my mom. Happy?" She made a face at the phone before snapping it shut.

Nate wandered over to her, as Chuck followed Blair's maid to her former employers.

"Miss Eleanor. Mr. Harold." She threw her arms around them both, squeezing tightly. "Best news in the world. You talk to her, yes?"

Harold pulled back, smiling. "Briefly." He clapped Chuck on shoulder, "It was unbelievable, Charles. I stepped out to talk to Roman one moment and the next there she was. A little out of it and weak, but wide awake."

"You say she ask for me, Mr. Harold." Dorota bounced a little, unable to help herself.

Chuck felt his jaw clench involuntarily, he forced himself to relax and just wait.

It was Nate who asked the how, "Have they said anything? Do they know if it was the heart attack?"

Something niggled at the back of Chuck brain. Something he should be remembering, some element that needed to be considered, but he couldn't get his mind to slow down long enough to settle on one thing. He kept thinking, what now? With Blair…the girls…him. How did they pick up things from the here and now?

"They're not saying much at this point." Eleanor said, "They're calling her a Christmas miracle. Five years in a coma and she just—she just wakes up."

Chuck had never been a strong believer of miracles. Especially after sitting by those five years, bestowing one wishful kiss almost everyday. But he'd never realistically expected it to work. He'd poured thousands into McCarty's research and the bastard had given him nothing except worst case scenarios.

He stopped, going suddenly still and then reaching slowly for his phone. She'd been perfectly fine…well except for the coma part…then she had a heartache out of nowhere. Now she was awake. God, what was he thinking? How would that bastard have done it? Why?

Chuck had promised him more money than God if the man somehow succeeded in bringing B back to him, but McCarty had been saying for months that the drug was still unstable…the side effects too dangerous for Blair. The man couldn't have gone ahead with this…Chuck would've killed him with his bare hands if that bastard had experimented on Blair and yielded the worst possible outcome. Hell, he still might go after the weasel.

He dialed the familiar number but received no answer. Wandering to a lone corner of the waiting room, Chuck ground out a quick message once the voicemail clicked over. "It's me. You call me as soon as you get this, you bastard. I mean it, McCarty. Don't make me come looking for you."

Chuck would have to somehow warn Blair's doctor's about the drug. They hadn't found anything strange in her bloodtests and screens before, but he could give them somewhere to start. Of course he'd have to do it without Eleanor or Harold. No way did Chuck want that woman up on her soapbox, accusing him of using her daughter as a guinea pig.

Dr. Reeves came in at that point, accompanied by another gentleman…wearing an effing Santa hat. What the fuck? This goofy looking ass was treating B?

"Mr. and Mrs. Waldorf. This is Dr. Chambers. He's assisting in your daughter's case." Reeves said, "If you would please accompany us…Miss Waldorf is refusing further treatment, unless we allow her access to you. She made a other…" He cleared his throat, shifting, "demands but this is what we offer her for now."

"Wait," Serena said, "Isn't there anything you can tell us? How'd this happen? What do we do now?"

The doctors looked to Blair's parents.

"Please speak freely, doctors." Harold said, "Everyone here cares about what happens to Blair and I'd like to know what you have to say myself."

"We still have no definitive answer for you as to how Miss Waldorf regained consciousness. There is no answer. As you already know with every passing year, the chances of Blair just waking up diminished more and more." Chambers said, "Doctors are people of science and we are very hungry for the 'hows' and 'whys' of life but even we must accept that sometimes miracles do happen. In this case your daughter is one of them. She beat the odds. Odds that less than 50% of other coma patients have managed themselves."

Harold and Eleanor gripped hands, while Nate and Serena wrapped their arms around one another, smiling, celebrating Blair's "miraculous" recovery. Chuck's thoughts went back to McCarty.

"Now things aren't going to go back to normal for Blair. Not immediately at least. We're doing tests now to see just what kind of lasting effects Miss Waldorf may be facing." Chambers said.

"What do you mean 'lasting effects'?" Chuck demanded.

"Blair waking up was only half the battle here. First we need to find out if there might be any mental or functional deficiencies. Then she's going to need months of physical therapy and that's just to start. She's got a long road ahead." Chambers explained.

Nate asked, "Physical therapy?"

"Yes, Miss Waldorf hasn't moved really over the past five years. She's going to be weak and need to build up the strength in her muscles and re-build her stamina." The doctor said.

Chuck cleared his throat, "The private hospital where she's been…she's been seen by a physical therapist at least a few days a week since this all started. They said it would benefit her recovery…if she…when she regained consciousness."

"That would be correct, Mr…?"

"Bass."

"Mr. Bass. Right. It helps but your friend." Chambers looked to Harold and Eleanor, "Your daughter still has a long road ahead. She will need every bit of support that you can give her…even if she's pulled through this with minimal lasting effects, she'll need a lot of time and understanding from those around her."

He felt Eleanor's eyes on him at the last but Chuck didn't look her way.

"Okay, so now. Mr. and Mrs. Waldorf. If you'd just come with me." Blair's parents left the room with the doctor. They didn't notice as Chuck slipped out and trailed behind them.

He wouldn't barge in. He just wanted to see her. Maybe talk to Chambers about McCarty's experiment. Though he still had no clue how Blair might have been injected with it.

Chuck followed through the maze of corridors. Watching from a distance Harold and Eleanor disappeared finally into one of the private rooms. The doctors followed them inside. Feeling as if his feet were moving along without him, Chuck walked on, until he was outside that closed door, looking through the glass. And there she was.

"Blair-bear." Harold said simply.

"Daddy!" She threw her arms around Harold and quickly included her mother. Their bodies obscuring her from his sight.

Chuck wasn't sure how long he stood out there, watching them. The trio didn't speak as the minutes crawled by—they simply held on to one another. After a while the doctors began speaking, their words too soft and muffled for him to pick up completely. He was actually reaching for the knob when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Sir, you can't go in there right now." A pretty, dark-haired nurse told him. She didn't flinch under the heavy weight of his narrowed gaze, "I need you to head back to the waiting room until the doctors say otherwise."

"I'm sorry, but you don't seem to understand. I'm…"

"I know who you are, Mr. Bass. I was a year behind you and Miss Waldorf. I know who you are. You'll be able to see her. Just not now." She insisted, quietly.

He glanced back into Blair's room where they all listened intently to Chambers. "Fine. I have a few calls to make anyway." Another call to McCarty at the very top of that list. And then his PI. Another project in less than a week, he was going to have to give the man a bonus. Chuck turned without a backward glance at the nurse or B's room, retracing his steps back to the waiting room.

~ஐ~

Stretched out length-wise across the queen-sized bed, his feet dangling off the side, Dan almost didn't move…almost couldn't move when his cell phone went off on the bedside table.

Still he heaved himself up to reach for it. Could be his Mom or Dad. Jenny had seemed to be in a better mood earlier when he'd left and the doctors still weren't seeing any sign of infection.

"Hello." He answered, leaning back against pillows, his arm thrown across his eyes.

The other end was quiet for a moment, "Dan." Serena said, "Hey, it's me. Were you still sleeping? You were still asleep. Sorry, I just thought you'd be up and…"

"I'm up. I'm up." Dan insisted, though he didn't bother opening his eyes. "Sorry. Late night with Jenny. What's up? And Merry Christmas, by the way."

"Merry Christmas to you, too." Serena said, quietly.

Dan asked, "How's Alex enjoying the day?"

In unison, her words came across jittery and happy, "Listen the craziest thing…"

They voices and words tangling up in one another until they both had to laugh.

Between the one breath and the next, Serena sobered just a little, telling him the good news about Blair.

"That's really great, Serena."

"I know. It's the best news. Her parents are with her right now and Chuck saw her…I mean he didn't get to talk to her, but he saw her with his own eyes and she's awake, Dan." Serena said, "You have to tell Jenny. I should probably let you get back to sleep. I just wanted to share the news with the world."

"I'm glad you called _me._"

"Me too." She said, "Listen. Do you think you might have time for drinks or even dinner later? I guess to commemorate the occasion or something."

"Or something…yeah. I'd like that." He smiled.

"Great. I'll call you later and we can iron out the details." Serena said, "I guess I should let you get back to sleep. Then maybe tonight, you can tell me what you and my brother have been up to over the past few days."

"You'll probably want to ask Chuck," Dan glanced over to his laptop and stack of folders. After a few more hours at the library, they'd finally found the snippet of an article on the 1987 fire, but it had been short on names and details. At least ones that they didn't already know.

He looked to the set of files that Nate had dropped off before, trusting Dan to search through the old police files. Between working with Miller and handling his own caseload, Nate wasn't finding any time where he could go through them himself without Miller sniffing behind him. The files all dated back more than two decades. Spending most of the previous day with Jenny and their parents and then staying at the hospital overnight, Dan barely had the chance to start sifting through the old case files.

They weren't finding leads any other way so Dan sincerely hoped something panned out, otherwise he wasn't sure what their next step would be.

There actually wasn't all that much to tell Serena, at this point, but he figured that he'd better leave it to Chuck to tell Serena the truth about the current string of fires and their possible connection to her late stepfather. "Listen, don't even worry about it. You just enjoy having Blair back. Do me a favor and tell her 'hi' from an old…"

"Friend?" Serena supplied.

Him and Waldorf friends? He'd been many things…cohort, occasional pawn, frenemy, even. But not quite friends. "Just tell her I said hello…" he sighed deeply before adding the last, "And that she was right…what she said before I left…she was right."

"Okay, you had me and then you lost me. Cryptic even for you, Dan? Blair was right about what? And when exactly did you see one another?" Serena asked.

Dan shook his head, "She'll understand."

"Fine. I'll leave it alone for now. But tonight you're mine, Humphrey." She said, "I'd better go. Check with my mom. Carter's supposed to be dropping Alex off at Chuck's."

After hanging up with Serena, Dan found that he no longer felt as exhausted as before. He lay there mulling over their conversation, trying not to dwell to heavy on her flirting. It'd be a bad idea to go there again. They'd known that back in high school. It wasn't even that she was UES anymore either…hell he lived in an entirely different city.

If he had any sense, he'd call the whole damn thing off later when she called back. That thought in mind, Dan knew that he wouldn't be doing any such thing.

Dumbass and a masochist to boot. Yep, that was him. He got to his feet and headed over to his laptop. Their little investigation would probably be the last thing on Chuck's mind for a while. Dan guessed that he'd better pick up the slack for both of them in the meantime.

~ஐ~

She'd had her eyes closed and they actually thought that she'd been asleep instead of merely resting her eyes and tired body. Blair heard the doctor as clear as day warning them of the earlier incident, when she'd lost her shit.

Sir Ridiculous was that his voice, yea that was it. "…overall we just want to keep her calm for now. We don't want to overwhelm her. Nothing too upsetting at first."

"Harold" She heard the warning in her mother's voice.

"I heard the man just fine." Then her father cursed softly.

Daddy almost never did that, Blair's eyes snapped open, locking on his and that had been it. All other questions fell to the wayside as both her parents came at her, tears in their eyes and hugging her.

Later complying with the deal she made with the doctor, she suffered through the remainder of their tests and answered their questions. Her parents kept looking at one another when they though she wasn't aware. She couldn't stop staring at either of her parents. They looked the same as always, except older…sadder. The past five months must have been excruciating for them, she thought.

After a while she asked about Dorota and Serena, and was happy to be told that they were waiting to see her.

Good. She could always badger Dorota for the truth and S. Serena wouldn't hold back on her as her parents seemed completely prepared to do.

In the waiting room, after what seemed like forever, Harold returned. All smiles and letting them know that things were going well so far. He spared Chuck a regretful glance before taking Blair's maid and best friend back to visit her.

Serena met his eyes, her expression confused but she quickly left the room.

"Chuck, I'm sure she just doesn't kn…"

He shook his head, cutting his best friend off with a glance. Minutes dragged. As they continued waiting for their own summons.

In Blair's room, Dorota's tears and enthusiasm seemed to rival both elder Waldorfs' earlier show of emotion. Damn woman wouldn't stop crying and Blair actually found herself comforting her maid.

"It's okay, Dorota. I'm fine now." Blair's expression softened, as she patted Dorota's back. Had things been really that bad? No, Dorota was just over-the-top in her dramatics at times. And people thought Blair came by that trait thanks to Eleanor. Dorota was just being melodramatic. That was all. Thankfully, her father came over to relieve Blair of her burden.

"Hey, B." Serena looked down at her best friend with a wide smile and gleaming eyes.

"Oh, not you too, S." The two old friends held on to one another. Blair wasn't even sure which of them started laughing or sobbing first, but there they were. Once the first wave seemed to tamper off they both pulled back, and Blair surveyed her friend's appearance. "You look like hell."

"Sorry, if I rolled out of bed and rushed here…just to see you."

"Exactly, you could've taken a moment here or there for just the basics. Little mascara…lip gloss…and what did you do to your hair? You cut it." Blair reached out to S's new shoulder length hairstyle. She smiled grudgingly. "I like it."

"Not by much. There's just no time for anything and I figured something more manageable would be better. Especially with Alex." Serena said.

"Alex, huh? New boyfriend. I'll bet you've been busy." She looked her friend over again, "Doesn't look like you got hit with the freshman fifteen? I can't believe it's December already. I missed the entire fall semester. Yale is amazing, isn't it? It's amazing, right?" Blair sighed, pouting. "I really hate you sometimes. Okay, not really. I just can't believe that I missed it."

Serena's eyes widened with each word Blair spoke. She turned looking to Eleanor who only shook her head.

Blair didn't miss any of it. Her eyes narrowed. "S…"

"B. I need to talk to your mom for a minute. _In the hallway_." Serena said, trying to smile for her friend and failing.

"Wait, I want to talk to your first."

"We'll talk as soon as I get back." Serena squeezed her hand and went to stand in front of Eleanor, their eyes waging silent battle until both women hurried from the room.

"Well, that was subtle." Eleanor said once she and Serena were in the hall. Glancing through the panel of glass she could see Blair staring at them . She gripped Serena by the arm and pulled her the extra feet until they were out of sight.

"What was that in there? Of course she couldn't know about Alex but why is Blair asking me about Yale? Why does she think it's still five years ago?" Serena demanded, her tone low and tight.

The older woman, quickly explained the doctor's previous warning and Blair's panic attack.

"Well, what have you told her…has she asked about the girls?"

"Excellent question, sis." Chuck brought their attention around to him. He leaned negligibly against the wall, his expression deceptively cool, but his eyes were afire. Frustrated and pissed.

After Serena and Dorota had left with Blair's father, he'd paced…getting angrier with each passing moment. He hadn't been sure what he'd do to his poor best friend if Nathaniel had been next on Blair's apparent desired list of visitors.

Five years and Waldorf asked for everyone under the sun before she asked for him. Felt like old times. Now he was hearing that Eleanor hadn't even told Blair of his presence. Talk about old times.

"Serena, why don't you go back and keep Blair company." He said, quietly.

"Chuck, I don't think that now's the time…" She started, biting into her lip nervously. He turned on her glaring and cold, despite the heat of his anger. "Fine. Just remember Blair needs us all right now. All of us." She glanced pointedly at Eleanor, then Chuck. "Think about that before you start tearing into one another."

Neither he nor Eleanor said a word as Serena made the quick trip back to Blair's room.

"Serena." Blair was waiting for her, her expression as formidable as Chuck's in the hallway. "What the hell is going on? Where's my mother? What aren't you telling me…"

The blonde looked at her friend, her expression nervous and conflicted.

"Come on, S. You aren't going to hold back on me, too. Are you?"

Serena glanced at Harold who returned her look helplessly. And Dorota was still sobbing in her own little world. So she jumped right in, getting it out in one rushed breath. "Eleanor's in the hallway with Chuck."

Excitement shot through Blair. He was here. Chuck was here. She'd been afraid to ask. Afraid to even say his name. It was December again…so almost a year since Bart died and Chuck left. Bitterness and anger surged, warring with her excitement, taking over. Since he'd run away from her.

"What's your game, Eleanor?" Chuck hissed out, pushing away from the wall.

She shook her head, "No game. I doing what's best for Blair right now…"

"Thought we'd agreed that you'd stop using that phrase in my presence. What else haven't you told her?" Chuck asked, understanding building. "You don't want her knowing what you did. You don't want her to know that you tried to give away her children…that you gave Evie to strangers."

"That's not what this is about. For godsakes. Think of all that's happened. Five years are gone from her life. Are we supposed to hit her with it all at once? Well, we're not doing it. The doctors think it would be a bad idea. Blair's still very fragile…"

"I think she'd appreciate the highlights." Chuck said, darkly. He shook his head, hearing her words but unable to overcome his suspicions. "You know she'd hate you if she knew that you went through the adoption against her wishes. That you'd all but given up on her."

"And what about what you've done." Eleanor retorted, "Blair might be hurt by my actions and I truly regret them. She'd forgive me, just as she always does, but what about you. You destroyed her mother. Do you honestly plan on giving her all the gory details? Tell her why someone else is living in the home that she grew up in…"

"I'll get it back for her."

Eleanor rubbed at her temple, looking defeated and worn. "Charles, I don't want to fight with you. I'm not saying that we don't tell her. Just that we take our time…"

"I want to see her."

"Of course."

"_Now_." He insisted and without another word he turned on his heel and walked into Blair's room.

"You mean the great Chuck Bass tore himself away from his whores and scotch long enough to come see little old me." She said to Serena, something hard and unforgiving in her expression.

"Yes," He couldn't help the growl that escaped his snarling mouth. "and forgive me but I tired of cooling my heels. Sorry to just barge in, Waldorf. Seems my invitation to this little get together got lost en route."

Blair's eyes widened and then narrowed, glaring while she tried to pretend that she wasn't actively drinking in the sight of him.

This was not how he'd envisioned their reunion. Not even close. Fragile? Eleanor had called her vulnerable and fragile. Was the damned woman blind?

"Guys." Serena started to rise, stalling under, Blair's grip on her arm.

"It's fine, S." Blair pulled herself together. He looked good. Really good. And suddenly she remembered her own circumstances. Oh, great the picture she must make. And that stupid hospital gown…really there'd been nothing else at all that she could be wearing? Whatever. Fine, she'd work with what she had, "Bass," She smiled tightly at him, drawing herself together as if she wore Valentino and Prada, instead of polyester and cotton. "You look well. S, was just telling me that you were here."

So she hadn't known that he'd been waiting? She hadn't been playing games? Or worse avoiding seeing him? Chuck felt something inside loosen, relieved. He looked to the other occupants in the room, "Would you give us a moment?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Eleanor said from behind him, shooting him a warning glance when he turned.

Harold was already up, helping Dorota who'd gone quiet as the tension in the room skyrocketed. "A reasonable request, Charles. Do take care though, yes?" Her mild-mannered father's voice took on an edge of warning.

"Of course." Chuck nodded his jerky acquiescence.

"Good. Blair-bear. We won't be far. Serena. Eleanor. We should check in with Nathaniel. Give him an update."

And just like that they were alone. Glaring and warily sizing one another up.

"So how was it?"

"How was what?" He asked after a moment.

"Why your grand tour, ofcourse? Let's see. Moscow. Amsterdam. Dubai. Bangkok…yes I believe that I heard something about you hitting Bangkok. Twice." She settled against the pillows at her back. "A postcard would've been nice…not a novel just a quick line…you know…'so many whores, so little time'."

"Blair." His voice dropped, low and warning. Awake less than a day and she was already picking a fight with him. He was frustrated but the smallest thrill of adrenaline pumped through him.

"I know. Chuck Bass doesn't do postcards. Well, you could've picked up the phone…oh wait you did. You called and breathed in my ear like some perv…" She smiled acidly, "Wait, that fits you perfectly."

"Look, Waldorf. I know my leaving like that hurt you but I had to go…" He said, for the moment, loosening his stranglehold on his own dark emotions. Chuck sank down in the chair at her side.

"You just disappeared…you didn't care about the people that you left behind. Who were scared for you."

"You're wrong, Blair. I did care. No matter how much I tried to cut myself off from all of you…I never stopped." He reached for her hand only to have her pull away. Or at least attempted it. Chuck wouldn't let go.

"I wanted to be there for you. I said the words, Chuck." She didn't seem to be aware of the tears streaking down her pale face, not until he reached out with his free hand, swiping at those tears with the pad of his thumb. "I needed you, too, Bass."

Her eyes fell to their joined hands. Convulsively, she gripped at his hand before dragging in a shuddering breath, the entirety of her small frame shaking with it. Blair licked her lips and raised questioning, brown eyes to his. It was a few seconds before he realized that she'd dragged their joined hands closer to her body, until they rested on the span of her flat stomach. "I needed you, Chuck."

"I know." He let her hear the regret that had been with him since Serena had told him everything. "I know."

Blair looked at him uncertainly and he could swear that he read blatant fear before she seemed to come to herself. He watched as she seemed to just shut down. Her expression going blank and her body stiff and controlled. He could almost see her mentally wrapping that protective, chilly mantle around herself like armor around her heart. Her voice devoid of emotion, she asked. "Chuck?"

"Yes, Blair."

"We've done a lot to each other. We've played our games. We've hurt people around us and one another, but for the most part you can be counted on for brutal honesty when it matters." She said. "I need to know something without having to deal with someone else dancing around the truth."

Eyes narrowed, lips tight. "Ask away, Waldorf."

She seemed to dissect him with her eyes, as if she could see the deepest parts of him. And damned if she hadn't been able to do just that all those years before. Blair nodded her head as if some unvoiced question had been answered. "Chuck, tell me the truth. Are my babies dead?"

The dream came to him again with her words. Could there have been anything to it? How would she react to their daughters? Would she resent them as his father had him?

"Chuck…" Her voice cracked, like the ice…her armor. "Are they…"

He reached out stroking his hand across the soft skin of her jaw. "No…no, B. They're fine. I promise you. They're perfect."

He let go. He said the words and waited to see where the truth left them.

ஐ **TBC **ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** Promise to update as soon as possible. Got a lot of things already plotted out and tweaking the next bit. It's coming. So B's back and there's oh so much that she's missed but first…she wants to know about her babies… Hope you guys liked this. As always let me know what you're thinking. Kisses and many more hugs.

Courtney ஐ


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** And here's another long-winded one for ya. B wants to know what became of her babies? Thanks again for all of the amazing love and reviews. Glad you guys are having fun with this. It's still a joy to getting it all out…if only I could live on CB love and not have to work the world would be perfect and just right…but alas. Hugs all around. Lynnie damn those computer fairies anyway thanks for watching out. :kiss:

* * *

**Chapter 11**

There he'd said the words. He waited for her reaction.

The slight crack in the icy demeanor that she'd slid behind only movements before, armoring—protecting herself, seemed to shatter completely right in front of him. The flat line of her mouth curved ever so slowing into the shakiest of smiles as his words started sinking in. She threw her arms around him, much like that long ago December night before he'd gone away, disappearing on her. "Thank you. Thank you." She repeated over and over again.

Chuck gathered her close, breathing her in. For the first time since he'd confronted Eleanor in the hallway…since he'd left his girls earlier, Chuck felt a real smile stretch across his face. A smile and sweet relief. She'd been scared about the girls. She didn't hate them…he'd told himself many times that the very idea was ridiculous but all he had to do was think of his relationship with his father…and good sense, as well as, years of knowing Blair Waldorf and how her mind worked, would go right out the window.

"Where are they? It was too early. I remember when I went into labor, they were coming too soon." She pulled back, her eyes searching.

"They were perfect. Kat spent the first two months in NICU and Evie as well those first few days, but they were so beautiful, Blair. Utterly perfect." He told her.

"Kat and Evie?" She asked.

He frowned, "Yea, Serena said you'd decided that you picked the names… Katherine and Evelyn."

"Yes, I did. And you've seen them. They're okay?" She frowned at him, still smiling and confused about everything, "When did you get back? I thought you'd just written us off when you didn't respond to my letter and then you did call and…and you didn't say anything."

Chuck remembered the night she was talking about. He'd been feeling lower than ever and he'd known that it was graduation day. Blair and the others would be walking across the stage without him. He'd celebrated with two willing bodies and a seemingly neverending supply of booze. Still feeling empty and wondering what his friends were doing, what B was doing, he'd called her. "I should've said something. I just had no clue what you needed to hear…I—I."

He cleared his throat, looking away from her. "As for your letter. I never got it, Blair."

Now she was back to glaring at him, her nails digging into his hand. "What do you mean you didn't get it?"

"Let's just say that there were matters with my uncle that needed handling and I took care it. It's a long story. And not what I really wanted to talk about right now. Kat and Evie, remember?." He kissed her hand until she relaxed.

As if she could possibly forget. Their daughters' names worked like magic, bringing that soft look back into her eyes. Hell maybe he'd been going about it all wrong, these past few years. Maybe it wouldn't have been _his_ kiss that would've brought her back. "Kat and Evie. You call her Kat."

"Of course…"

"I want to know everything. What are they like? Who do they look like? Who's with them right now?" She demanded, and there went those damn nails again. He'd have to book her an appointment at Bliss at the first opportunity.

"Dammit, Waldorf, nails."

"Sorry." She said absently.

"And slow down. They're with Lily, right now. They take after both of us…and they're quite the schemers already. Mostly Evie…but Kat can hold her own. She'll sneak up on all comers before they know what hit them."

Blair bit her lip, trying not to start crying again, as Chuck talked about their daughters. The pride and love in his eyes. She'd missed so much already. The first five months of their little lives. Kat and Evie. Blair sighed, reaching up to brush an errant curl from his forehead. He was still letting his hair go long instead of cutting it. Hmm. "So, Bass. Tell me what they look like already…what do you mean takes after us both. My eyes…yours?"

"Yours. They mostly take after you, though, Serena insists she see more of me…especially when they're up to something." He smirked

"So little schemers. Two of them. With your smile?"

"Wait," He shifted, and pulled out his wallet. "You can see for yourself. This was taken a few months ago." Chuck flipped to the photograph Dorota had snapped of him and the two little girls on their first day of kindergarten. They wore their uniforms of white blouses and plaid skirts. Evie wore her dark hair loose around her shoulders with only two shiny barrettes holding it in place, while Kat insisted that Dorota do her hair up in twin French Braids. A smile playing at the edge of his mouth, he handed it over to Blair.

She stared, a frown replacing her earlier smile. Blair pinned him with confused brown eyes, "What is this?"

"It's old…from September. They did school portraits and I have them in my office. That was their first day."

Her eyes dropped back to the picture in her lap, he could see her gulp as she studied their children. He waited feeling his own smile, wide and silly as he waited her mirroring expression. But Blair didn't smile. She didn't laugh or even cry. Something like horror settled across her features. Softly, she said, "No. This can't be right."

"Waldorf…" He said, trying to get her attention, but she didn't seem to hear him. "Blair."

"My babies…this can't be right. I don't understand."

"Blair," He hooked a finger under her chin and brought her eyes back to his face. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Where are my babies, Chuck?" She demanded, pulling away from him. "Were you lying before? _Did_ they die? What are you playing at here, Bass?"

"I'm not playing at anything. That's Evie and that Kat. Look at them, Blair. Can't you see us? Look at their faces."

She did. She looked. Blair shook her head, "No, no. It's only December. My babies…were just born." She trembled and Eleanor's words came back to him. They hadn't told her anything. Not about the girls and not how long Blair had been gone from them.

"No, baby." He said, his voice soft. She stiffened at first when he wrapped his arms around her, trying to quell her shivering form. Slowly she leaned into him. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."

"I don't understand." She didn't cry again, but buried her face against his chest, repeating the same three words, until they looped in his head. All that he could hear.

"I know. Ssh." Chuck climbed onto the bed with her, holding Blair and not sure just what the hell he was supposed to do now. Five months. She'd thought she'd been gone for just five months. Missed only that little while.

~ஐ~

Hours after talking to Serena and finally diving into Nate's pile of molding, waterlogged folders, Dan found himself in a rental car and cruising the streets of New Jersey. Well not exactly the streets. More so one blue-collar neighborhood, in particular.

Eyes still bleary from his late night, Dan had stumbled onto the right file after looking through six others. The case file on Bart Bass' first building, reported an accidental blaze and one fatality. Originally the body had been listed as John Doe…but more than seven months later the remains long ago buried was finally listed in the case file as Richard Franklin.

The homeless man's identification didn't come from family all those months later. No, he'd left his family behind years before. The ID came from a fellow bum who'd spent a freezing night in the drunk tank and talked about everything from all the wars he'd never fought to his friend who took shelter in the wrong building on the worst of nights. At first officers had laughed it off, thinking the bum was spinning another of his stories but someone took him seriously…taking the time to follow up. Informing Franklin's "loved ones" of his demise. And that had been that. Case closed.

Franklin had a name for his unmarked grave. The man's estranged family carried on without him as they'd already been. And Bart Bass settled with the insurance company.

Dan pulled the rental to a stop—squinting out at the address for one house in particular. Blinding white blanketed the lawn and sidewalk…at every other house on the block piles of fallen snow had been shoveled or darkened with gritty footprints. This wasn't the case at the Franklin place. He double-checked the address. He'd tried to call but the telephone number in the file was more than twenty years old and long since changed. The operator hadn't been very forthcoming with a new contact number.

He knew he should've waited. It was Christmas Day for godsakes. Chuck or Nate probably should've been told but he figured Bass had enough on his hands and Nate would want to be with both of his friends. Besides that…Dan didn't want to wait. After days with absolutely nothing and then this dropping into his lap, he couldn't wait to dig in.

Burrowing further into his coat. Dan climbed out of the car and started up the snow-covered path. He grimaced as snow immediately leaked in between his socks and shoes.

He should've waited but he'd gotten this crazy feeling after reading the file that they were on the right track with this. The lead needed to be checked out, why not today? He wanted to be able to go back to his little sister with good news. Let her know that they'd caught the person responsible for setting the fire, almost costing her life and still quite possibly having ended her career.

Dragging in a deep frosty breath, he stomped his feet as he stepped up onto the landing, trying to rid himself of the freezing snow soaking through his socks and clinging onto the hem of his blue jeans.

Either this would pan out or it wouldn't and they'd try like hell to find a new lead. Dan raised his hand, hesitating for the briefest of moments before knocking.

~ஐ~

Serena walked ahead of Blair's parents, forcing herself to look ahead and not throw in her commentary to their ongoing argument.

"Time and again you contradict me and take that boy's side." Eleanor accused.

Harold sighed, bone-tired from lack of sleep and getting into it with his ex-wife yet again. "Not a boy. Not anymore, Eleanor. He's worked hard and I respect the job he's done raising my granddaughters. I thought you did, as well."

"He's done a wonderful job with them, but that is besides the point, Harold." She said.

Serena rolled her eyes, arms crossing her chest. She wouldn't turn around.

"And for the record. I'm sure that Dorota's been doing the lion's share of rearing those little girls." Eleanor added.

Enough was enough, jaw tight and anger flooding her Serena was gearing up to let Eleanor have it when B's Dad bet her to it.

"You don't stop, do you? What was last night about? I thought you wanted peace but you're ready to start it all up again." Harold shook his head, "Fine. Do that and he'll win again and yes Dorota is a strong presence in the girls' lives. As are Lily and Serena. They've had to be for the fact that their mother…your daughter has been in a coma for the past five years…unable to be a mother to them…now what was your excuse? You were just as absent in Blair's life…"

"Who ran off to France to be with another man?" Eleanor retorted and then shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Stop. Stop. That was uncalled for on my part…but you were wrong, too."

"Not this time. And for the record I'm not taking anyone's side. No one except our daughter's." Harold told her, incensed over her previous words despite her regret.

"Well, then you should be on my side, as well." She said, "You heard what the doctor said."

He nodded, "Yes and I saw our daughter when _he_ walked into the room."

"So did I. They were fighting." Eleanor almost shrieked as if this proved her point.

Serena quickened her pace. She couldn't listen to anymore. She returned to the almost empty waiting room far ahead of them and their escalating argument. "That woman is unbelievable." Serena vented to the room at large.

Nate looked up from the magazine that he'd been so inattentively flipping through. Taking in Serena's look of disgust, he was getting to his feet but stopped as she threw herself in the chair beside him. "Who's unbelievable? What happened?"

"Eleanor happened." Serena made a face, "It was horrible."

"Blai…"

"No, sorry." She reached out for his hand. "B's okay. Mostly. It's just I got in there and we were talking…like everything was normal and she's asking me to fill her in on what she missed of the fall semester."

Nate blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion, "Sorry not following."

"Yale. Nate. She thinks that I just wrapped my fall semester…at _Yale!_ As in she was thinking that it's still 2009. Chuck's probably in there with her now." Serena aimed another disbelieving glance at Eleanor as she walked in with Harold. And they appeared to still be going at it. Serena couldn't hear their now lowered voices, but Eleanor was red-faced and Harold looked frustrated and mightily pissed. Good, cause so was she. "She didn't tell B that Chuck was out here, like the rest of us. Worried about her. Blair thought he was still off doing God knows."

"Poor Chuck." Nate sighed.

Falling silent, Serena looked at him with raised brows. "What do you mean 'poor Chuck'. More like poor ."

"I'm just saying that he's changed." Nate said, unknowingly echoing Harold's earlier sentiment.

"I know that."

Nate pointed out, "Well, Blair doesn't."

"They were fighting when we left." Serena smiled suddenly, her words drawing a grin from Nate.

"Back to their old dance already." He shook his head.

"We'll see." They settled into a companionable silence. Each picturing the tumultuous reunion between their best friends and the long road ahead for all of them. Serena's expression sobered as she remembered her earlier conversation with Dan. Dinner. No, she'd said drinks. Maybe she'd tell him to come to her place for dinner. Nothing romantic….and they'd have Alex for a chaperone. And she could pump him for information.

Serena glanced over at Nate and said matter-of-factly, "So I talked to Dan earlier. He filled me in on the James Bond routine that you three have been playing at…" She didn't miss a thing as Nate stiffened, alarm flashing across his tense features for a split second before he covered it with mild confusion.

"What?"

"You heard me. Dan told me exactly what's going on." She forged ahead with her bluff. "I called him on all the cloak and dagger crap…don't think I haven't noticed. You guys have been acting weird as hell since the fire…and you guys don't even like Dan…well Chuck doesn't or didn't…"

Eyes narrowed, her ramble of words clicking for him, Nate started to relax. "Dan didn't tell you anything. Nice try, Serena."

"So then you admit that you three are up to something. You're actually working…together." She wasn't sure what to think of that idea. "You three making a joint effort…it has to be the fire. Start talking, Archibald."

"Let it go, Van der Woodsen." He shot back.

"No. I want to know what's going on. It's the fire. It has to be and I understand your involvement…you're with the police…but what's the deal with bringing Dan and Chuck into this." She demanded, "Is this dangerous?"

"What wrong? Are you worried about Dan?" He shot her a knowing look.

"I'm worried about all of you. You'd better tell me something or I'm going to be thinking the worst. You already gave me nightmares last year." She told him, remembering the night of his shooting.

She'd fallen back into bad habit…busy with work and Alex. Serena hadn't been out in months, so when Carter stopped by to drop a sleeping Alex off from a visit with the Baizens, she'd let Carter stick around for a drink. He'd ended up staying most of the night…in her bed. Serena had lain awake beside Carter's slumbering form, regretting yet another slip slide back into his bed. Or rather her bed this time. Then Chuck called, just after two in the morning to tell her that Nate had been shot.

They hadn't known how badly and Serena remembered thinking about how she couldn't have stood the thought of losing another friend. She'd met up with her stepbrother and Vanessa at the emergency room, where they'd learned that Nate's wound hadn't been as serious as they'd originally believed. But still the very thought of it…Nate had actually been shot. Someone had pointed a gun at her friend and pulled the trigger. If that bullet had nicked an artery…gone anywhere else…he could be in the ground.

Serena felt the fear of losing one of the people closest to her all over again remembering that night and the hell of the past five years. She glared at him. "Dammit, Nate. Just tell me what's going on."

"There's nothing to worry about. Promise." He threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, placing a quick kiss against her blonde tresses. "So. You and Dan. Again."

"Yes. Me and Dan. We're _friends _again." She said.

"I'll bet."

"I'm serious. We're even meeting later for drinks or dinner. Not a date. Just hanging out."

"Right because you're friends." He teased, "Guess you wouldn't mind if I tagged along. Since we're all best buddies now. Oh, you could join us for a round of soccer. Just another one of the guys. Yea, I definitely see that, Serena."

"You can come. That way I can grill the both of you about what you've gotten yourselves into. Chuck's got his hands full with B right now….so I'll be more than happen to badger the two of you until I know the truth." Serena warned.

"Sorry, you'll have to talk to Chuck."

"That's what Dan said," She worried her bottom lip, frowning slightly. "Is Chuck in trouble?"

"No." Nate answered quickly.

"I want to help."

He shook his head, "Absolutely not."

"Why not? If it's not dangerous." Serena said.

"I'm not going to argue with you about this anymore. I'm not telling you anything and neither will Dan."

So the boys were presenting a united front against her. She didn't like it one bit. Serena hadn't been lying about letting Chuck slide for the moment but Nate and Dan were fair game. She'd struck out with Nate so far but Dan would definitely be coming over for dinner. She'd get him on her turf and get all the answers she wanted. "Whatever," Serena rolled her eyes, pretending to give up. She relaxed, stealing the magazine he'd been staring at earlier, and tried not to smile when she spotted the look of relief cross Nate's features before he seemed to think better of it, appearing suddenly engrossed in the action across the room.

Serena looked up in time to see Blair's mother throw up her hands before storming from the room.

"Where do you think you're going?" Harold demanded.

She didn't look back or toss an answer over her shoulder. Harold looked poised to follow but dropped back when she hurried down the opposite direction from Blair's room. He went over to sit with Dorota.

Eleanor kept going. Didn't stopped walking until she was on the elevator. She'd resisted every instinct that demanded she rush back to her daughter. That she get back to Chuck and Blair before he ruined everything.

She'd just spent five years in hell, remembering all the times she'd put her work and her own priorities above her daughter. Harold earlier barb about Dorota playing 'Mommy' to Blair had found its mark. Things were different now

Her daughter was back. The girl had opened her eyes and called out for her…Eleanor. Sure she'd reached for her father as well. The first words Eleanor had heard from her beautiful daughter had been "Mom."

She ran a hand down her face. Eleanor didn't want to lose her again and she would. She'd exaggerated her confidence earlier with Charles trying to convince him not to say anything, but the moment he opened his mouth about Evie…Eleanor knew that she'd lose them all once more. Blair. Blair's little girls.

~ஐ~

Hands clasped tightly in her lap. Fiddling with the stiff sheets covering her legs. If she could've she'd have gotten up and paced the room. Instead she lay there, listening. Her ears missing nothing as Chuck talked to Lily.

It was going to happen. Joy and fear warred inside her. She glanced down at the picture she'd stolen from his wallet. Kat? Yes, he'd pointed out the little girl with french braids as her little Katherine. Her fingertips skimmed the huge smile and the curve of her ears. She—they had Chuck's ears and _her _chin. She gazed back and forth at the almost identical faces, spotting all the ways they'd come from her and Chuck.

What would they think of her? She didn't know them. Anything they liked to do or what they wouldn't eat. Blair's mother had never bothered learning those types of things. She'd left it to Harold and Dorota.

She felt the beginnings of that earlier panic starting, as it all became real to her again. The time passed. Everything missed with Kat and Evie. And Chuck. Her friends. She'd missed college. Five years. She'd had a plan dammit. Of course the twins hadn't been a part of the original plan but once she'd decided to keep them, Blair had been determined to do it all with twins in tow. And Serena and Lily had promised to help. And she'd just known that her own mother would come around to her way of thinking. But all her planning and wondering hadn't mattered.

So caught up in her whirling thoughts and escalating worry, Blair didn't hear Chuck finish his call with Lily. She didn't realize that he was watching her until he called her name, his voice soft, edged with concern, "I think I had the same look on my face the first time they let me hold Kat."

Forcing herself to focus on _him, _that voice and his eyes, she felt grounded. "What look?"

"Like I thought everyone was utterly insane for thrusting that tiny thing…person at me. She wasn't as big as anything." He absently glanced down at his hands, smiling, remembering. "She seemed so small…breakable. She fit right into my palms. Imagine, Chuck Bass knocked on his ass by four pounds of female."

"It was bound to happen." She scooted over, making room for him to climb back onto the bed at her side.

"B, listen. I know you're scared."

"Terrified. This wasn't supposed to happen, Chuck."

"I know." He wrapped his arms around her, accepting her slight weight pressing against him as she leaned close.

The picture still cupped in one hand, Blair frowned, "I didn't want them at first. I kind of felt like they were picking up where you'd left off. Destroying me from the inside-out." When Chuck didn't move, didn't speak, she said, "I tried to pretend that they weren't real…that they didn't exist…which wasn't all that easy given all the time I spent bent over the toilet." Focusing her eyes on the dark television screen, she told him the things that she'd wanted so badly to confide months…no, it was years. Years before. For her it could literally have been yesterday. "It was like old times…only I _really_ couldn't stop…how insane, right? All that fighting and resisting the urge and…I wanted to hate that new life inside of me…it was stealing my control and it threatened everything that I had left."

"God, Blair." He buried his face in her hair, "I've wished so many times that I'd never left. I couldn't stay though…"

"I know."

"No, you don't. I was barely holding on and I didn't want to bring you down with me once it all went to hell." He told her, "Even with all the chaos in my head, and how much I just wanted to destroy everything and everyone in my path…I couldn't stay…couldn't let you see…"

They both fell silent, thoughts buried in their shared past and lingering fears and uncertainties.

"Five years is a long time, Chuck." She turned, until they were face-to-face, "They won't know me. I'll just be some stranger."

"Not even possible, Waldorf. Do you honestly believe that any of us would let that happen? That I wouldn't make damn sure that they knew how smart and beautiful their mother was…_is." _He assured, his eyes studying her face and mouth curving, "How that sweet mouth could distract the most foolish of men from a tongue sharp enough to cut a lesser man into ribbons. Or that pert little as…"

Now she smiled, rolling her eyes. "Chuck! Focus."

"Right. Sorry. Let myself get distracted I suppose." He dragged his gaze from her mouth, trying not to concentrate on all the things that _he'd _been missing. He wanted to taste her. Would it feel the same as he remembered? Would she taste the same? Too much too fast, Bass, Chuck reminded himself. "Don't worry, Blair. Perspective found."

"You're forgiven." She recognized the look in his eyes and had to force herself to breath again, when he didn't lean forward those bare inches to close the distance between them. Her heart beat faster, but it wasn't due to panic of any kind. Her face ran hot when he glanced at the monitors over her shoulder. The stupid monitor giving a play-by-play of every single flutter she was feeling.

Smug bastard, she shook her head at his knowing smile. He didn't say anything but quirked a brow.

She'd have shoved him off the hospital bed, if she thought she could scrounged up enough energy, instead she settled for glaring at him. Oh, but just wait until she was back in shape and in her Louboutins. "Chuck, the girls."

"Hey, don't blame me. That was all you, Waldorf." He jutted his chin forward, motioning to where the monitor continued betraying her.

Only she wasn't turned on this time…not that much anyway, Blair told herself, forcing herself to breath normally. Chuck was being an irritating, self-assured ass. And how she'd missed him. This time she told her own traitorous libido to simmer down and focus. "Please, Chuck. Kat and Evie. Talk to me."

Resigned, he sighed softly. She was right. The girls would there soon enough, and besides that, he and Blair could bait and dance around one another later, "All right, what do you want to know?"

"Everything." She breathed.

"Think smaller…" Chuck said, "Hmm, don't expect to hear those words again anyti…Ow."

"Sorry. Guess it slipped. You were saying." She motioned with a quick flurry of her hands.

"Fine." He rubbed absentmindedly at ribs that still smarted from his fight with Humphrey.

Blair felt herself relaxing into him, leaning close as he finally gave her what she wanted. She listened in rapt fascination as he told her about their daughters. Evie's refusal to eat anything except rice or corn for almost two months straight. And before that her affinity for orange food and nothing else. Kat's newfound enthusiasm for soccer that past summer after hanging out with her Uncle Nate. Evie hadn't been impressed, while her twin badgered Chuck to let her play on a team with other children their age. Evie could stand in the front of the mirror for more than an hour, singing every song in her repertoire…at the top of her lungs. Apparently, their kid was far from tone deaf…but she was also very loud.

Chuck told her about their movie night and weeks of requesting the same damn move until _he _could recite it line-by-line if pressed, but he refused Blair's smiling request that he prove it. "I don't think so, Waldorf."

She hassled and cajoled, trying to guess which movies he'd watched with them.

"Blair, don't you think they're a little young for the misadventures of Holly Golightly."

"I suppose." She offered an exaggerated sigh, "What about 'My Fair Lady'? Or 'The Sound of Music.' Please tell me you haven't been making them watch those idiotic gangster movies that you used to force me to sit through."

"Force? The way I remember it was a trade off for hours of Audrey…without complaint or innuendos. Not easy."

"Yes and you were never able to hold out very long were you?"

"I don't recall any complaints from you." Chuck smiled, his lips brushed her ear, drawing a soft groan. He wasn't sure if it was from the brief contact or memory evoked of things passed. "As a matter of fact…we never actually made it through one of my films."

"You didn't seem too bothered about that as _I _recall." She retorted.

He said, "You proved to be quite a distraction, Waldorf. Who needed Cagney and Bogie when you provided such an exquisite and highly pleasurable…alternative?"

"We're going off task again, Bass." Blair whispered, but her words held little of the earlier fire and determination. She let her forehead rest against him, her hand curving against his jaw. Their eyes caught, and she could see that old fire in his, the same that had pulled at her that first night in the limo. And just like that it suddenly felt as if no time had passed at all from that first night when he'd given her an out…letting her back off .

"Are you sure?" His voice had been so soft and he'd looked at her in the limo and earlier on stage with the same fire that she'd needed and never got from Nate. She remembered their last night in the limo. Laughing with him, torturing him until he'd taken control from her…promising to love her long into the night once they made it back to the Palace. Only they never made it back.

Bart died and it all fell apart.

Looking in his eyes now…she forgot the rest and remembered only the best of what he'd made her feel on those nights in the limo.

"Blair," He leaned forward that last bit, brushing her mouth in the softest of kisses. And Blair reached out, burying her fingers in his hair, yanking him closer—wanting more.

"All right, Chuck. Time's up. I want my best friend…Oops." The couple on the bed reluctantly separated, turning to see Serena in the doorway with Nate at her side. Behind them, her mother watched, her disapproval clear in her eyes.

Chuck stared back at Eleanor as if daring her to comment. When she didn't he moved away from Blair but didn't vacate his position on the bed at her side.

Nate stepped forward, claiming Blair's attention as he spoke, "You were right, Serena. They definitely look like they're on the verge of another 'fight'."

She rolled her eyes, beckoning the first boy she'd cared about to her side. "Hey. Come here."

Eleanor relaxed as her daughter embraced her first boyfriend. She looked back to Chuck who was watching Eleanor closely. Given her daughter's reaction, he obviously hadn't said anything about Evie or the adoption. After a moment he just looked away, smiling at Blair and their friends. She pushed away from the doorway and went to stand on the other side of the hospital bed.

Blair glanced around the room, taking in all the different changes in everyone. Even the little things she'd glanced over about her mother and Serena earlier. Chuck had told her about Serena's little boy. With Carter Baizen of all people…they definitely had much to catch up on, she eyed her best friend, who still sparkled, brighter than anyone Blair had ever known.

The glint of gold on Nate's hand caught her attention. Nate was married. She studied him again, recognizing a new strength and confidence that hadn't been as apparent before. There was also something edgy in his eyes. Some new worry even as he smiled down at her.

Blair reached out for her mother's hand and was surprised by the strength of the woman's grip on her, her eyes shining.

"Mom." Blair smiled at her and then frowned, looking towards the door. "Where's Daddy?"

Eleanor cleared her throat, "He's coming, sweetheart. He just stayed back to call Roman. Be sure that he got settled okay at the hotel."

Blair's eyes swept the room again. Meeting those of the people she loved. She could still traces of worry in their manner and smiles. Chuck hid it better than the others but it was there nonetheless. She wondered at their fears. Anger seeped in, she'd literally be in the dark for the past five years and wanted no more of it. "Mom there's something that I wanted to speak with you and Daddy about…all of you actually."

"What's up, B?" Serena frowned, her eyes darting to the monitor every now and again.

"Wait. I'll get your father." Eleanor said, avoiding looking at Blair or Chuck. Had he told her?

"That's okay. I'll tell him later. Look, I don't want any of you holding back on me again. Especially, you and Daddy. I know you're worried that I'll flip out or something and sure there's a lot I've missed but not telling me that I've missed out on the past five years of my life…kind of a big deal." As if in after thought, she added quietly, "Or that Chuck was here."

Forcing herself to meet her daughter's eyes, she weighed her options. She could just get it all out now. Take a chance that she would be forgiven. Eleanor opened her mouth to say the words, to tell Blair the whole truth…but couldn't. Instead she said, "I didn't want to hit you with all of it at once. And as for Charles…you and he weren't exactly on the best of terms when this all started." She felt those eyes boring into her skull as if through a physical assault of the senses. Eleanor resisted the urge to look his way. He could do it right now. Tell Blair everything. She waited for it…expected it but Blair's voice was the one that she heard next.

"Nonetheless, no more holding back. I've missed way too much as it is…"

"Blair is insisting on knowing 'everything' all at once." Chuck said, his voice light and teasing on the surface of things.

"Fine. Maybe not _everything,_ but the highlights, definitely. Okay?" Blair demanded, looking from her mother's guilty expression and sweeping across the other faces in the room. They all nod and murmur their agreement to her edict.

"Good. Now that being said. S, Carter Baizen, Really?"

"My sentiments exactly."

"Shut it, Chuck." Serena said, "And clear out. I wanna sit with B. You've been hogging her for over an hour."

"Don't overdo it, Blair." Eleanor leaned over to kiss her daughter's cheek. "I'm going to give Cyrus a call. You enjoy catching up with your friends." She hurried from the room.

Reluctantly, Chuck ceded his place to his stepsister and could see nothing more than pure delight in either woman as they hugged one another. Serena played with her best friend's hair which fell past the middle of her back. "Jeez, B, you are in dire need of a haircut. Still looks good, though. You know you have Dorota to thank for that…"

"What I do know is that you're stalling?" Blair accused, "Spill…"

"You first…Dan says 'Hi, by the way.' He asked me to pass along a message and to tell you that you were right."

"Of course I was." Blair said matter-of-factly.

"What was he talking about?" Serena demanded.

Blair shrugged, "I have no idea but I'm hardly ever wrong…So it's a given."

"You're totally lying." Serena accused.

"And you're still stalling, Van der Woodsen. Carter Baizen. Talk or do you want me relying on Chuck for details." They both glanced over at Chuck and Nate who'd lowered their own voices and appeared engrossed in their own conversation. Blair studied them with narrowed eyes and resolved to find out what the hell that was about at the first possible opportunity. In the meantime, she had blondie in her sights. "Spill."

"Wouldn't you rather hear about Yale? My job? Alex…"

"I can't wait to hear about all of that especially your little boy, but first I want to know what possibly could've possessed you to hook up with Carter. You do remember what he did to Nate, right?" Blair said, "You were as upset as I was…"

Of course at the time Blair's anger had had more to do with covering up how upset she'd been over Chuck. How much she'd missed him after he'd just taken off after that disastrous cotillion. Yet another night when he'd just left for parts unknown. Nate had finally confided the reasons for his animosity towards Carter and what the other man had tried to pull months before. And she'd been genuinely upset about Nate…concentrating on ways to get back at Carter Baizen rather than missing a certain Basshole. And telling herself all the reasons she should be glad for his absence and trying not to regret her hasty fall into her ex's bed. She'd gone in expected that fire…wanted what Chuck gave her but all she'd done was mess everything up. Granted she'd had more than enough help along the way that night.

"I know, Blair." Serena rolled her eyes, "Look let's just say he caught me in a weak moment. Carter can actually be very sweet when he wants to be…don't look at me like that. Look who you picked. Besides I was more or less drunk off my ass on Stoli that first night and we just kind of went with it from there for a few months."

"Months?!" Blair squeaked, then lowered her voice when the boys looked over. "You had a relationship with him."

"Kind of."

"Wow." She said and just like that she wanted more. "Okay. Now. Alex. Start talking. I am a sponge and you people are just being stingy with details."

"Not about Alex. Did Chuck tell you what Alex and your girls did to the poor mall Santa?" Serena asked, her smile promising all the details that Blair could want.

Off in their own world, Chuck and Nate spoke in hushed whispers…the excited escalating tones of Blair and Serena's conversation offering enough cover to let talk without worrying.

"You talk to Humphrey?"

"No, but I dropped the files off with him last night." Nate told him, "He said he'd give me a call if he found anything. Listen, Serena knows."

"What?!" Chuck hissed out. His eyes swept back to Blair and Serena, but neither had moved or seemed particularly interested In anything beyond their own conversation. He stared at his stepsister and then back at his best friend. "How? Wait, don't bother. Humphrey. Son-of-a –bitch."

"Actually, he didn't tell her anything. She started connecting things on her own." Nate told him hurriedly, "With the fire and then you and Dan suddenly hanging out. Guess she got suspicious."

"Nathaniel, for the last time, Basses and the Humphreys of the world don't 'hang out'. Now what did Serena say to you?" Chuck demanded.

"Nothing about Bart. She says she wants to help."

"Not happening. We've discussed this. Nobody else knows. Just you, me and Humphrey." He shook his head, "That's it."

"People have died, Chuck. Whoever this arsonist is…he's killed. If the fires are connected to Bart we likely won't be able to bury it again. Then Serena and the world are going to know."

"I'll deal with it. But I don't want her involved until the person targeting me is found." He said.

"And Blair? What about her little speech?" Nate glanced at the girls, who suddenly burst out laughing. He turned back to Chuck who was regarding him as if he'd lost mind.

"Some things _can _wait. On that Eleanor and I are in agreement."

Nate appeared unconvinced. "So now you and Blair's mother are seeing things eye-to-eye."

Chuck made a face, "Scary thought, but yes. Look, until the situation has been dealt with I don't want any of the family in the loop. So far this guy's been targeting my investments. I don't want him suddenly deciding to come at me through Blair or Serena or the girls…No, we keep this to ourselves. For now."

"And your private war against Eleanor?"

"At the moment." Chuck said, "Our truce stands."

"All right, Archibald. You're up. I want all the details on this 'green' wedding you let Punky…sorry, Vanessa talk you into." Blair called out. "I'll bet Anne loved that."

Nate turned to the two best friends whose eyes were both fixed on his face, Blair's brimming with humor and Serena's expression apologetic. For days he'd been working his ass off to distract himself enough that Vanessa was pushed firmly to the back of his thoughts. When all he wanted to do was to hold on to his anger, rehashing the details of his wedding day was one of the very last things that he wanted to be doing right then.

"Come on, Natie. I promise not to make fun." Blair said, "Done correctly…a 'green' wedding can be just as tasteful as any other. Anne would've accepted nothing less. Now, get on with it. I want details."

"I'll loan you the DVD." Nate said, only half serious. "Really, Blair, what's there to know? We met up at the church with a hundred or so of our nearest and dearest. Said our 'I do's' and flew off to Maldives. The end."

"Wow, I could've sworn there was more to it. You'd think after months of planning and compromising one thing after another with your mother that there would've been more." A new voice said from the doorway. Her eyes locked with Nate's for the briefest of moments…her smile tight and nervous. "Hey, Blair. I'm really glad to see you awake."

"Vanessa. Thank you." Blair smiled, thinly. Her eyes focused on the byplay between husband and wife. Trouble in paradise? Nate definitely didn't seem as if he'd been expecting his wife to pop up at the hospital. He didn't appear happy to see her at all. Instead of rising to greet his wife with a kiss or smile, Nate's expression had gone dark. She cleared her throat, bringing the other woman's attention back to her. "This is such a surprise, Vanessa. You didn't have to…_really._"

"Actually, I came with Lily and the kids." Vanessa said, "Chuck, they're waiting for you in the hallway. And Ca…ur Alex's father dropped him off a few hours ago, Serena. He's here, too."

Blair didn't hear anything else after that. Her eyes caught and held Chuck's. The earlier laughter and light gone from hers, replaced by worries and anxieties that she'd temporarily allowed herself to be distracted from. And his, Chuck's eyes were full of promises.

~ஐ~

"The name's Eric and I just wanted an update on my sister." He repeated into the telephone receiver. "Our parents called me earlier and told me about the heart attack and her finally waking up. I've been trying to get a flight back home but you can imagine how that's working out today…"

The dark-haired woman standing before him motioned for him to move it along. Her eyes were narrowed and full of warning.

"Yes, I know what you mean." The nurse responded, a smile in her voice. "Waldorf, wasn't it"

"That's right. Eric Waldorf." He told her, "I'm catching the train back, but probably won't be back in the city before visiting hours are over. I wanted an update but couldn't reach either of my parents."

"Would you like me to patch you through to Miss Waldorf's room?"

"No! I mean no. That's not necessary. I wanted to surprise her if I could." He said. "I just wanted a better idea of how serious things are…last I heard the docs were still running their tests."

"One moment please, sir." The line went silent before Christmas music switched on.

He covered the mouthpiece, grinning. "She put me on hold."

Georgina fought the urge to roll her eyes and returned his smile. She still needed the idiot and like as not the more time she spent with the guy, the more she realized that there was something very off with her new partner. Something that made even _her _uneasy. Something…evil hiding behind those good looks and pretty smile.

They both had their agendas. Vengeance at the very top for both of them but the fires…they seemed to fascinate him. Make _him _hot. She was sure that she'd had the best sex of her life, the night he buried Jenny Humphrey's boutique to the fucking ground. Despite herself, her smile widened as she remembered how rough he'd gotten and just how many times he'd made her come.

Yes there was definitely something she'd miss about him when they finally parted ways. And part they would.

"Where'd you go earlier? You weren't here when I got back." Now that she wouldn't miss either…the clinging and questions.

"Told you I had errands to run. We've still got a few more big plays to make." She said, aiming to soothe.

"Mr. Waldorf, are you still there?" the nurse's voice came back on the line. "Hello?"

"Yes, I'm still here."

Georgina listened to her accomplice's side of the conversation, watching every facet of his expression. Earlier when she'd called in 'sick' for her shift, she'd been surprised and oddly relieved to find that Blair hadn't kicked it just yet. Sure Chuck would've been miserable for a while but then he'd move on like he never could with B just hovering there not dead but not here. No, this meant she could follow through with her plans…let them both get a taste of the lives they wanted before she ripped them apart from the inside out. Maximum damage.

Hmm, maybe she and her lover weren't so different after all. He enjoyed watching flames lick and devour, while she was less literal in her brand of destruction.

He looked up at her nodding as the woman spoke, his eyes telling Georgina all that she needed to know…B was definitely back in the game. Good.

"Was there anything else you needed? Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your…wait I think I see your mother. One second, sir." The nurse said.

He disconnected just as he heard the damn woman call out for Eleanor Waldorf. "Shit."

"What? What happened?" Georgina demanded, crowding him.

"The little bitch's mother was hanging around. Nurse was calling her over."

Georgina thought for a moment, and nodded. "Okay. Okay. That's fine. We gave her Eric's name. It's plausible that he'd call the hospital, checking up on, B. We're covered."

"Good." He set the phone aside and reached for her. Pulling her against him and taking her mouth in a bruising kiss. Teeth nipping sharply and fingers biting into her arms.

Hmm, loverboy just might outdo himself from their previous romp. Win-win for Georgie. She closed her eyes, hands tugging at the hem of his shirt. Blair was still kicking…her plans were firmly in place…and mind-blowing sex was just moments away. What a Christmas.

~ஐ~

"Sorry…he was just there. We must have gotten cut off." The nurse frowned down at the phone before letting it settle back in its cradle.

"I'm sorry. Who are you talking about?" Eleanor glanced up, distracted from her own phone call.

"Your son…"

"My son? I'm sorry you must hav…"

"Eric Waldorf. He called checking on his sister. He wanted an update." The nurse said, appearing more and more uncertain as Eleanor regarded the woman as if she'd grown a second head. She started wondering if she'd done the wrong thing when the woman's expression softened.

"Oh, Eric. Yes, of course." Eleanor nodded.

"He said that he couldn't reach you or his father and wanted an update on Miss Waldorf's condition. That was okay, wasn't it?" the young woman asked.

"Yes. Just fine. As a matter of fact, I'll call him myself." She motioned to her phone. Eleanor smiled at the woman and went back to her conversation with Cyrus.

As quickly as she could swing it, Eleanor said her goodbyes to Cyrus. Yet another reason she was so grateful to have that wonderful man in her life. He'd talked to her. Helped her calm down. He hadn't agreed with the steps she'd taken five years before and he'd stayed with her after her career tanked. And somehow they were making their transatlantic relationship work. She told herself that she traveled in her business anyway…she was just based out of another country. Truth be told, she missed him and New York. Now with Blair awake and having met her granddaughters…going back to London to live and work seemed impossible.

Eleanor ran a hand down her face, feeling increasingly exhausted. Cyrus had begged her to come home for the night. But as Cyrus loved saying…"Not Enough!" She wanted to come home to New York dammit, but that would mean giving up all of her hard won progress in London. Damn Charles Bass, anyway.

She wanted her life back.

~ஐ~

Vanessa and Nate left the room soon after Chuck went to collect the girls. When her best friend started to leave her as well, Blair shook her head, grabbing her hand, "Don't you even think of abandoning me, S."

"Ow, B." Serena cringed at the surprisingly strong hold the brunette had on her. At her words, Blair loosened her grip but not by much. "Come on, Blair. You and Chuck are going to want the room to yourselves for this."

Blair looked up at her, face two shades paler than it had been seconds ago. "Serena, you try setting foot out that door and I…"

"Fine. I'm not going anywhere." Serena said, "But you're going to want to chill out. Unless you want to freak them out."

"Oh, God." Blair said, "I am. I am going to totally freak those little girls out and they won't want to come near me again. They'll hate me or think I'm some insane person. I don't want them to hate me…S!!! Help."

"I'm trying. They're kids. Yours and yes it's scary as hell being confronted by this person that came from you…but you're the Mommy, they love you already. So calm your nerves, B. Look. Pretend they're the girls from the steps…looking up to you for approval and guidance. You never let _them _see you sweat the hard stuff…well, kids are pretty much the same…well not really, but you get my point." Serena rambled and then let out her breath in a long rush. "Long story short…they basically idolize you already."

Expression still worried, Blair nodded and let the other woman go. "Okay. You're right. I can do this, but, Serena?"

"Yes."

"Can you stick close? Just for a while."

"You got it, but then I'm leaving you and Chuck here with your girls. I'll be just down the hall telling Alex about his cool Auntie B." Serena said, "I'm not going anywhere."

They both looked up as they heard the door open. Chuck came in and on either side of him, Blair recognized the little girls from the picture. Their daughters. Their little faces were so much alike and deadly serious as they openly inspected everything about her.

Chuck fought the urge to smile as Serena managed to finally disentangle herself from the brunette's clinging hands. He felt as nervous as Blair looked when she'd first caught sight of the threesome standing just inside the door.

He glanced down at the tiny hands wrapped around his. He had flashes of the previous night and how much it'd taken for the girls to warm up to Eleanor. But they didn't even look at him…no nervous glances or pleading eyes telling him to be the adult and take over. Their eyes were all for Blair.

Serena met her stepbrother's eyes and smiled. She quietly left them all and Blair didn't notice a thing. She seemed to be in her own little world, cataloguing everything about the two little girls on either side of Chuck. Unlike the photograph they both wore their hair down around their shoulders. Little green headbands that matched their dresses, their sole adornment. She studied them, trying to tell one from the other…she'd thought she'd had it from that damn photo seeing them in the flesh was completely different.

Blair waited for the panic to settle in and bog her down but it didn't come. She was too happy, her heart full. Briefly her eyes broke away from them to meet Chuck's before shifting back. "They're so pretty, Chuck. They're beautiful."

Her words seemed to break some kind of spell that had held them all immobile. To Chuck's surprise, both girls tugged their hands away from him and walked over to Blair.

"Hi, Mommy." One of them said, offering her mother one sweet smile.

"Hi." Blair whispered.

"You're pretty, too." The other reached out, running a hand across the ends of Blair's brown locks. "And we're _so _glad you finally woke up…it was kind of boring watching you sleep all the time."

Evie. That had to be her Evie. Outspoken and impulsive. And the other, her quiet, contemplative little Kat. Oh, the damage they'd wreck when they grew up. They _were _both so pretty…they'd be absolute stunners in another decade or so. Chuck clearly had no idea what he'd taken on. She was still amazed at that thought. _Her _Chuck or at least the boy he'd had been barely responsible enough to take care of himself and she wasn't even going to think about what his idea of taking care of himself had been. It didn't matter. Nothing did except the fact that he'd stepped up and taken care of their daughters when she couldn't.

"I'm glad too…Evie." She took a chance. Blair was sure that parents of twins mixed up their offspring frequently. They wouldn't hold it against her if she got it wrong…not the first time, right? She waited but no one corrected her or looked at her as if she were the village idiot. "Kat. I would really, really like it if I could hug you guys. Would that be okay?"

Evie shrugged as if to say, "why not." The little girl braced both hands on the edge of the bed and was about to attempt heaving her small body up beside with Blair, but Chuck beat her to the punch. Lifting Evie first and then Kat onto the bed at their mother's side.

"You guys have no idea how happy I am to finally meet you." She didn't waste any time gathering them close to her, brushing her face again their shining dark heads. Hidden from their eyes and Chuck, to let go of the hot tears that had been begging for release since she'd realized all that she'd lost out on. But the five years gone weren't the reason for her tears. She was happy. With their small arms wrapped around her she was too damn happy to let worry and regrets over things beyond her control to ruin this time that she finally had with her daughters.

Minutes passed and she held on to them, rocking them, crying harder. Their tiny hands patted her back, rubbing in some circles aiming to soothe.

She felt, rather than saw Chuck move closer.

He offered a reassuring smile when Kat looked up at him but she didn't look scared. Her brow was furrowed with worry, "Mommy's sad."

"I don't think so. She's just so glad to see you and Evie that she doesn't know what to do with herself." He stroked the child's hair. "Isn't that right, B?"

"Chuck Bass, I don't think you've ever uttered truer words." Blair pulled back, offering them all a watery smile. "I didn't mean to scare you, though, Kat. You either, Evie."

Kat told her, "You didn't scare us…Grandma cries like that when she hears a song she likes. I told her that if it made her so sad then she shouldn't listen to it anymore but she said was crying because it was so pretty."

Blair frowned at that. Her mother had said that.

"I didn't think it was pretty. It was slow and boring." Evie informed her mother. "Grandma Lily said I'd like it when I get older but don't think so."

Lily. Of course.

"As you can tell, the girls aren't really connoisseurs of the classics. Not yet at least."

Evie cast a doubtful look in her direction. She apparently didn't like it now and wasn't planning on changing her mind anytime soon.

"Well, Chuck…your Dad. He was telling me earlier about some of the stuff you guys like to do. Maybe when I get out of here, we can do some of it together." Blair offered.

"Well, Dorota says it's too cold for us to ride our bikes in the park now…" Evie said.

"And she would be right." Blair told them, remembering the falling snow from earlier in the day.

Kat bobbed her head, "Yea. Dorota says we can start going again when it gets warmer but we still can't take our training wheels off. I can't wait. Then we can go feed the ducks again, too. You can come if you want."

Blair smiled, the picture forming perfectly in her mind. She done it dozens of times with the older woman and she was happy to know that Dorota hadn't stopped but had kept one of their "things" going with the girls. "I'd like that. In the meantime, have you guys been ice skating before?"

"Yes, with Uncle Eric. And sometimes with Grandpa Harold and Roman. Daddy doesn't like to go, though." Kat confided, "He fell that one time and…"

"Your mother doesn't want to hear about that, kitten. She wants to hear about you and your sister."

"That is true, Kat, but first Mommy would love to hear the story of Bass on his a…" She cleared her throat, grinning as she dropped off at the last.

"Ooh..oh. I wanna tell it. I tell it better, Kat." Evie insisted and jumped right into it before her sister could protest. "Okay, we were supposed to go with Grandpas Roman and Harold but Cat…not that one," She pointed at her sister, "but the cat Cat got really sick and he was puking all over the house…in France, Mommy, not here."

Resigned, Chuck stepped back and let himself tumble back into the chair as surely as he had fallen right on his ass last Christmas. Nothing more than his dignity had taken a beating but these days he left the ice skating to Eric and the grandfathers. Sighing, he watched his three girls together. Finally together, cuddled close and laughing. The lines of strain and worry fell away from Blair's face and body. She wasn't afraid. Not anymore. The girls adored their mother and now she could see.

At that exact moment, Blair looked up and met his eyes, as if she could tell exactly what he was thinking. Only now did he truly let go and let himself breathe. She was awake. The spell that had taken her away broken and his family was intact. It was perfect.

~ஐ~

Serena checked her watch. Vanessa had already left by the time she'd managed to get away from B, and Nate made his regrets, saying his mother was expecting him for an early dinner after spending the afternoon with the Captain. Harold and Eleanor finally allowed themselves to be convinced that Blair was being left in capable hands for the time being. And they left to spend time with their significant others. So while Chuck and his family enjoyed their time alone. Serena and Lily squired Alex around the hospital. Stopping by for a quick visit with Jenny and updating her on all of that had been going on.

The girl said she hadn't spoken with her brother since earlier in the day when Serena asked. And he wasn't answering her phone calls. Earlier, she'd been too wrapped up in Blair being awake, but the more time passed, the more worried she was getting. She'd have to call Nate. She didn't like being kept in the dark any better than her best friend, and the silence from Dan's end was starting to get more than a little scary.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?"

"Hmm, yeah. I'm fine. I'm just fine." Only she really wasn't and she worried that the same could be said for Dan.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** Long-winded stinker, aren't I? Lol, I just couldn't stop writing…I was tempted to cut it somewhere but I didn't want another Chapter going by without B meeting her babies. So Chuck has all of his girls. Georgie's plotting deep dark things with her loverboy. Poor NV don't know how to deal with their crumbling relationship and regrets. Eleanor back and forth she goes again and again. And Dan? S is worried. Does she have reason to be? Hmm. All right. Will update as soon as possible. For now hope you guys liked this. As always let me know what you're thinking. Nothing but love guys. :D

Courtneyஐ


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Another new one for you guys. You are all so flipping amazing. So glad you enjoyed Blair's loooooong awaited reunion with her babies and Chuck with all of his girls. I had the day off today so here's the next bit. Thanks again for all of the wonderful love and reviews. Glad you guys are having fun with this since I am too and we still have a ways to go. Hugs all around. Lynnie love you wifey, you're my personal rockstar. :kiss:

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"Well, I for one think that it's a horrendous idea. And everyone one here agrees with _me_." For the second time since she'd woken up, Blair faced off with her children's father. She looked to the others in the room to throw their support behind her, but Lily and Serena both appeared suddenly engrossed in the life and times of George Bailey. Listening intently as he promised to lasso the moon for his Mary, their eyes glued to the television hanging on the wall. Her eyes strayed to the little blond child, leaning back against his mother. No, help there. She glanced down at the two little girls who were laid out at the foot of the bed, their heads drooping and jerking up as they struggled to stay awake.

Damn Basstard had a point. She didn't want it to end, though. Couldn't they all just stay with her? The girls could squeeze in on either side of her for the night. And Chuck could twist some arms and get them to wheel some extra beds into her private room. It would be a nice variation on former annual sleepovers. Another step in making up for missed time. Chuck should appreciate finally getting an invite. Lord knows he'd tried and succeeded in sneaking in once or twice only to get the boot from Dorota before the real fun and games could begin.

She started to tell Chuck about her plan, but he was already reaching for the girls' coats and Serena and her Mom were on their feet.

"Chuck's right, B. You're exhausted. You've had a busy day, you know?" Serena finally decided to voice her opinion. The wrong opinion. Traitor.

"I'm not tired." Blair protested once more, swallowing back the yawn that wanted to belie her words. "Actually, I just had the best idea."

Blair gave him a quick rundown of her idea, all the while his movements didn't even pause as he attended to Kat and Evie. Soon enough they were bundled up in their coats and scarves, earmuffs covering the shell of their ears and small hands hidden away. She smiled watching him, too engrossed in the moment to be truly irritated with him.

"Okay, I guess tomorrow works as well." Blair gave in, adding a hope-filled "early tomorrow."

"Of course." Chuck finally said, before lifting both girls up into his arms and bringing them to their mother. "Ladies. Mommy needs her goodnight kiss."

The girls complied; their eyelids drooping and bodies heavy against Chuck once they pulled back, curling against him.

Serena came over with Alex in her arms, and Lily at her back. "See you tomorrow, B. We've got all time in the world to catch up."

"Not nearly enough, S. Not even." The two best friends hugged. Blair reached out and ruffled Alex's pale before the two-year old arched away from her, burying his face against his mother's throat. "That's okay, Alex. To know me is, to love me."

She wasn't hurt in the least by the blue-eyed boy's continued rejection of her overtures. Her girls were amazing and they'd warmed to her almost immediately, and for now that was more than enough. She didn't want any of them to go. And though she felt knew sleep wouldn't be slow in coming, Blair didn't want to be alone. Her parents probably wouldn't be back until the morning. It wasn't fair really. Ideally, she'd slept enough to last a lifetime.

"Good night, Blair. I'll send Eric your love. He'll probably be up here with everyone else tomorrow." Lily informed her.

"Bye." She waved, sadly, watching as the women started to leave the room with Chuck pulling up the rear. Only now did she notice that he'd put his coat on as well. Wasn't he even going to say goodnight? "Bass, aren't you forgetting something?"

Chuck turned, throwing her one of those infuriating smiles that could drive her crazy, making her furious and turning her on, all at once. "Lily, Serena. I'll be down in a moment." He told them sending them ahead. Chuck turned back to her, adjusting the twins on either side, as their heads drooped onto his shoulders.

Blair smiled. They'd be out of it completely before the limo even hit traffic. "Nevermind, Chuck. Take them home."

"But I'm forgetting something." He said that smile falling away and his expression curious.

"It doesn't matter." She glanced down at her clasped hands, missing the knowing look in his eyes and the quick curling of his mouth that flashed across his face mere seconds before feigned ignorance took hold. "It's fine. I'll see you in the morning…"

Chuck cut her off, leaning forward to steal her words with a quick brush of his lips. "Better?" Letting her see his smile now.

"Ass." Forgetting herself for a moment, she cringed covering her tingling lips and glancing at Kat and Evie but the girls had fallen completely over that fine edge into sleep. "Oops."

"You'll get used to it. Mostly." He shrugged, pulling back.

"Goodnight, Chuck."

"Not yet." He winked at her, turning on his heel. "I'm just going to deposit the girls with Serena and then it's just you and me, Waldorf."

He disappeared with a quiet laugh. Taking the girls from the room before Blair let loose with more than a few words that would've gotten her in trouble with Dorota. Basstard had tricked her, let her think he was taking off with the rest of them. Stealing a goodnight kiss.

Blair smiled despite herself and snuggled back against her pillows. She yawned, loud and long, shaking her head to dispel sleep that wanted to take her back. Would serve him right if she were just knocked out when he returned, but hadn't that been his fate everyday for the past five years. No, she couldn't do that to him…not tonight. Besides, they still had a million and one things to talk about. They'd talked so much about the kids and everyone else that she'd barely asked him about himself.

She knew that he'd taken over Bass Industries but nothing else. Had he finished up with school before taking the reins? What else had he accomplished? And five years was a very long time. Had he met someone else? Fallen in love with another girl who could take Blair's place in his life. In their daughters' lives.

Disturbed by the path of her thoughts and her sudden bout of insecurities, Blair lost herself in them. Minutes passed and still Chuck didn't return. And she couldn't seem to stop thinking of what Chuck might've been up to while she'd been in a coma. Granted they weren't committed in any way and he was free to be with other women. To fall in love again. He'd never actually given her the words to begin with. Had he said them to someone else? He'd grown up that much from the boy she'd known. With everything else that had happened…had she been left behind in that respect, as well.

Sighing, she shoved her worries to the back of her mind, focusing instead on drama that wasn't her own. Blair glanced up at the movie still playing and saw that they'd reached the phone scene, one of her favorites. She snorted at the memory that come to mind, when George's friend joked, accusing him of trying to steal "his girl." Blair cranked up the sound until Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed's voices filled the room.

"_He says it's the chance of a lifetime." Mary told George, clutching the phone between them. Fully aware of him and electrified by having him standing so very close. His nose in her hair, taking in a deep drag of her scent._

_For a split second he seemed to freeze as her words sank in and then he gripped her arms. George shook her gently, the phone falling away to the floor with a thud. He said, "Now you listen to me. I don't want any plastics and I don't want any ground floors. And I don't want to get married ever to anyone…do you understand that?! I want to do what I want to do. And you're…And you're…Oh, Mary…Mary."_

"_George…George…George."He wrapped his arms around her, peppering her face with kisses._

A smile stretched across, Blair's face and tears slid freely down her cheeks.

"I don't think you're supposed to cry at that part." Chuck let himself in, hitting the overhead lights so that the room was plunged into near darkness. The light from the black-and-white movie casting a soft glow on everything. He almost didn't see Blair go still, her entire body tense and wound as she look around the dimly lit room. He frowned, walking over until he could cup her face in his palm, wiping at her glistening cheeks. Chuck couldn't tell if it was the light from the television set that made her look suddenly paler, "You okay?"

"Yeah..it's just. Do you think we can keep the lights on?" She said, feeling embarrassed at her sudden fear. Blair might have tried playing it cool and not saying thing at all but she was so very tired of the dark.

"Of course." He said, but didn't go back to turn on the overhead, fluorescent lights. Instead he reached up and switched on the small light over behind her. It didn't relieve the room completely but Blair was grateful for the small cone of light stretching out, pushing the unrelenting shadows at bay.

"Thank you." She couldn't help the yawn that escaped. "Guess I'm more tired than I thought."

"I'm not going on anywhere, Waldorf." He brushed at light kiss at her temple.

Blair felt the tension inside loosen even more at his words. "Good." She looked at the chair a few feet away. "I don't know how happy your back is going to feel sleeping in that thing, but I'm glad you're staying."

"Who said anything about me sleeping there? Scoot the hell over, lover." He climbed back into bed beside her. "We've done more with less. Don't think the night shift would appreciate the show, though. So I say we save it for another time, no? Still…play your cards right and I may let you talk me into another goodnight kiss."

"As if there would be anything for them to walk in on. Now hush. I want to watch the rest of the movie." She shifted much as her tired limbs would allow and he did the rest, arranging them both on the hospital bed. He kicked off his shoes and wrapping his arms around her.

"You know how this ends. You've seen it enough." He lowered the sound.

Despite his words, he fell silent, happier than he could remember being in years, just lying there with her, watching the old flick. Over the past few years, he'd had his work and the girls. Life had been good, but something still felt off. Missing. B. Of course, Blair. He'd known that all along. But now he had her back. Life was more than just okay again.

She yawned again, visibly fighting sleep.

"Close your eyes, Blair."

"Only for a minute." Her easy capitulation told him just how tired she truly was. Soon enough her eyelids were faltering and words slurring. "Just don't go anywhere."

"You either." He whispered, but she was gone, turning onto her side in her sleep and forcing him to do the same. Dragging the covers up over them both, Chuck pulled her back against his chest. Only then did he close his own eyes. The monitors and Stewart mere background noise as he focused on the steady sound of Blair breathing.

~ஐ~

Serena watched her mother remove the girls to make them more comfortable and arrange a throw over Kat and Evie's sleeping forms. They were stretched out on the seat, arms and legs thrown every which way, as if they were at home in their own beds instead of the back of a moving vehicle.

Her son laid back against her chest, rubbing sleepily at his eyes, putting up a more valiant effort against impending sleep than his cousins had.

Lily came back to join her with a tired sigh, she absently stroked her grandson's blond head. "What's wrong, Alex? Grandma's sleepy, too. Wanna rest our eyes together."

The little boy shook his head, pouting and ill-tempered. "Want Wobbie."

Serena glanced around the dimly lit interior of the limo for her son's diaper bag. "Mom. There's his bag. Would you mind grabbing his bear for me?"

Lily made a face, scratching her ear. "Actually, sweetheart. Robbie isn't…" She pitched her voice low for Serena's ears only, but the mere mention of his bear's name had Alex's attention. His blue eyes darted around, searching. Lily threw her hands up, mouth compressed. "Carter promised to drop…you know what off later…he forgot to pack it this morning with the rest of Alex's things."

"Forgot. He knows, but he know…" She shook her head. Classic Carter. "Just forget it. Here take Alex, please." She shifted Alex to her mother's lap, and moved away from them, her cell phone still clutched in hand after yet another fruitless attempt to contact Dan.

She was starting to get really worried and, as soon as, she reamed Carter out…she had every intention of calling Nate to find out just what the hell they were up to and to see if he'd heard anything from their old classmate. For now Serena focused on her child's father.

With one ear, she listened to Alex's escalating sleepy cries and through the other came the steady and increasingly agitating ring of Carter's unanswered line. Avoiding her mother's eyes, she ducked her head and practiced all the things she shouldn't say in front of her son once the voicemail finally kicked. Of course, she was still good and mad when Carter's voice finally came across the line.

Only it wasn't his voicemail. It was Carter live and he sounded more than a little out of breath and highly irritated. "Yeah?"

God, she didn't even want to consider just what taken him so long, Serena jumped right to the point, "Please tell me that you dropped Robbie at my place."

"Oh, shit." Carter said.

"I guess that's a 'no'." Serena forced her jaw to unclench. "You know he can't sleep without it."

"Of course and I had every intention of stopping back at your place with it but things have been crazed with my family and…"

"Your mysterious plans from earlier?" She threw in.

He laughed softly, "What are you jealous? You know all you have to do is pick up the phone…"

"Alex's bear, Carter."

"Look, I'm sorry." He said, sounding as if he truly meant those words. "I really did forget."

Of course he had. What with his all important plans that had left him so hot earlier to drop Alex. How could he have possibly been expected to remember packing his son's insignificant sole prized possession? Dropping her voice too low to carry to either her mother or Alex's ears, Serena cursed softly, "Dammit, Carter."

He, of course ,ignored her as was their routine when he screwed up concerning Alex and she called him on it. This, while not the hugest of his transgressions, was just another in a long line of irresponsible acts that were getting old. "I apologized, drop it. Now, is that my boy?" He asked hearing Alex's growing cries, "Put him on the phone."

"He's not in the mood to talk, Carter. He's exhausted and wants his bear."

"Just let me talk to him."

After a moment, she sighed. "Fine."

Initially, Alex shook his head, thumb thrust in his mouth. He didn't want the phone at his ear. He wanted to be held. He didn't want to be held. He shifted tirelessly against his grandmother and whimpered sleepily, fighting the heaviness of his eyelids.

Serena finally gave up, bringing the phone back to her ear, "He's not in the mood…look why don't I just…"

"I'll bring the damn thing over." Carter interrupted. "See you in twenty."

"We're in the car. It'd just be easier…Carter?" The line went dead before she could finish. She locked eyes with her mother. "He hung up."

"That's it. Alex, honey, we're going to Daddy's." Lily finally promised.

~ஐ~

"Come on, don't leave." He said, tossing his cell phone to the bed. "I'll just run the damn bear to Serena's and then we can pick up right where he left off."

She shook her dark head, already climbing from his bed, the clothing that hadn't been flung across the far reaches of the bedroom still hanging off just so. If the sounds of Alex's cries over the phone line hadn't been echoing in his ears, he'd have tried his hand at putting quite a different look in his lover's eyes, rather than the dawning regret that he saw now.

"I should go."

"I thought you wanted company for the night." Carter said, yanking his pants on.

Vanessa avoided his eyes, shrugging. "It was a bad idea. This entire thing is just wrong."

"Poor Archibald. You must drive him insane." He said, glancing briefly at the tangled sheets covering his bed. "You want me. You don't want me. Your marriage is over. You want him back. You fuck me. You hate him. You fuck me. You love him. You…come on. I'm serious, don't leave, Vanessa."

She looked at him now, eyes glaring. "I can't believe you…" She shook her head. "I'm idiot. I let myself get involved with you…"

"You were lonely. Poor, Natie wasn't getting the job done. It happens with the best of marriages and from what I'd been hearing from Serena." He shook his head "Yours has been over for a while. If I remember…you actually told me the same yourself."

"I swear, Carter. Just shut the hell up." Vanessa hunted furiously, searching for the rest of her clothes.

"Sorry, I forgot. Our number one rule…Nate and the real world don't exist within these four walls."

"Stop."

"Oops. Said his name again." He said, his tone anything but repentant.

"I'm not coming back here, again."

"Think I've heard that before."

Thrusting her arms back into her shirt and shimmying into her jeans, Vanessa gathered up her sneakers and stormed from the room, "Well this time I'm serious. Don't call me again."

He followed close behind, "Why not? You could always just not answer the phone."

"Aren't you supposed to be going to Serena's?" She scooped up the familiar small brown bear that had lain fallen and forgotten for the better part day. Vanessa tried not to wonder how many times Carter had walked by without picking it up. Vanessa stopped long enough to hand over Alex's favored toy, "Your son's waiting on this. So you might want to finish getting dressed and get to him."

For the hundredth, she wondered how she'd let herself get sucked into this…thing with Carter Baizen. She didn't even think that she liked him half the time. No, actually she was pretty sure that she couldn't stand him. He reminded her of Chuck from when she'd first gotten pulled into the twisted lives of the Upper Eastside teens. When her best friend first loved Serena Van der Woodsen and when it seemed as if Chuck Bass didn't give a damn about anything or anyone besides himself.

It'd been a long time before she was able to admit how wrong she'd been. Years watching him raise the twins and seeing his friendship with Nate had shown her a different side of that too rich, self-assured manwhore who took much too much pleasure in torturing those around him. While the latter she wouldn't really attribute to Carter, the others applied all too well. Knowing all this, Vanessa still couldn't figure how she'd landed in his bed that first night. Or the night after.

No, that wasn't right. She couldn't plead total ignorance as to what kept bringing her back. All she had to think of Nate's attitude at the hospital earlier. There hadn't been a trace of the anger and emotion from that morning at Chuck's. If memory served, the newly awakened Blair Waldorf had said more to Vanessa in those first few minutes than her husband did at all. In fact, Nate hadn't even spoken to her. Around her. Yes. To everyone and anyone besides his wife.

The thought of sticking around much longer after Chuck took Kat and Evie to see their mother had been way too much. Instead she stopped off to hang out with Jenny. Still her thoughts kept coming back around to the man only a few floors away. Who could barely stand the sight of her anymore? Finally claiming to have plans with her family she'd left her old friend, not that Jenny seemed to mind. She'd been depressing the hell out of the other woman, her meager efforts in trying to cheer the blond, failing miserably.

Vanessa hadn't even made it outside before she was on the phone with Carter, making plans.

"Stay here. Things were just getting good…don't leave," Carter said again, tracking her to the door, grabbing her hand as it closed on the knob. "Besides, you said it yourself…you don't want to spend another night in that big, empty house."

Without another word, Vanessa yanked away from him, letting herself out of his apartment. No falter in her step, she listened for the sound of the door opening again, but Carter didn't follow her out.

She tried not to think about what Carter had said. Of course she didn't want to be alone in that house. Her and Nate's house. She'd resisted the urge to pick up the phone the two previous nights, toughing things out at the brownstone. It was just too quiet and empty. And despite his words, Nate hadn't actually sent anyone around to pick up the rest of his luggage. So now the damn things just sat there lined up against the wall in their bedroom, echoing Nate's hurt and the broken state of not just her marriage but her life. Work sucked. Nate was gone. Nothing was right.

Lost in her thoughts, she pressed the down button to call for one of the elevators. It seems like almost immediately that the door to her left slide open, revealing a smartly-dressed older couple who looked to be leaving for the night. Visiting friends, maybe?

Vanessa stepped on offering a smile in absent greeting and was promptly ignored. She rolled her eyes, sighing as she turned to the front. Hello to you, too.

A flash of blonde hair in the corner of her eye made her look up and across to the other elevator as the other doors slid open. Serena, of course, who else? The blonde looked upset and her movements appeared stiff and jerky. Her entire focus seemed to be on the cell phone in her hand.

"I swear if he doesn't answer the phone…" Serena muttered, bringing the phone to her ear.

Feeling like the proverbial deer in the headlights, Vanessa felt herself freeze up, praying that the other woman didn't look up. That and for the doors to slide shut. _Quickly._ The wheels started churning in her head, good sense telling her to move and she finally ducked off to the side…of course only then did the damn elevators doors deign to finally slide shut.

Head cocked to the side, Vanessa waited for a cry of surprise from the blonde but there was nothing. Nothing more as she continued muttering into her phone, cursing her child's irresponsible father.

Vanessa breathed out a sigh of relief. That'd been too close. It'd been just a few seconds but the time before that elevator had finally closed could've spanned forever as far as Vanessa was concerned. Damn. What would she have done if Serena had seen her? The other woman would've told Nate just who Vanessa had been sleeping with…give him a face for that unpleasant blank spot in his mind. That at least she wanted to spare him. Again and more determined before to stick with it, she decided that it would be better if she didn't come back. That had been too much of a close call. Way too close.

The elevator came to a step and let her and the "Van Uppities" off. Feeling guilty, she offered the couple a half-hearted "goodnight" which was met with the same chilly silence. Great.

~ஐ~

Blair ascension into wakefulness was nothing like the slow progression of that morning. She came awake suddenly, breath catching in her throat. Unlike before, her surroundings were no longer unfamiliar or confusing to her. A slow smile, curved as she lay there in the dimly lit hospital room, enjoying the feel of the warm body curved against her back and heavy weight of his arm, thrown across her middle. At some point, she'd reached out in her sleep and linked their fingers. Clinging.

She snuggled back against him, the scent of _Chuck _enveloping her. The steady thump of his heart beating against her spine, tempting her back for more sleep but she fought its insistent pull. Sleep could wait. Blair wanted to lay there. Be with him just like that for a little while. His arms around her, made her feel at peace and completely taken care of…she knew that there would be much to worry over once morning arrived but for now Blair wanted to savor just being…savor that moment…the feel of him. Of them.

She'd craved this during those long confusing months after he'd disappearing. Blair remembered lying awake in her dark room, hand stealing beneath the covers to the explore the bare curve of her belly. When she'd first found out, she'd headed straight for Serena's, needing the comfort of her best friend, but once everyone else had gone to bed Blair had wandered into _his _room. Everything just as he'd left it. Closet door standing open, scarf thrown across the back of his chair.

No one else awake, the rest of the apartment deathly quiet around her, as if it too was in mourning for the absence of both Bass men. She walked around his room, touching every surface, burying her face against his pillow as if it might still hold the elusive sent of Chuck even after more than a month. It hadn't but, she'd curled into a ball, lying in the middle of his bed, thumbing through the book on his nightstand, page dog-eared and waiting for Chuck to get back to finish what he'd started. That book in hand and looking down at her still flat belly, she wanted him back. Just for a night. Just to hold her. He could've gone away…back to his whores and drugs. Back to whatever hole he'd dug up to hide himself in. She hadn't cried, but Blair remembered shaking. Shaking so hard with everything balled up inside. Needing him.

Blair shivered now at the memory. Remembering feeling so very lost. Even with him back and his arms around her just as she'd wanted, that suddenly wasn't enough and she needed to see him.

She slowly maneuvered herself around, not wanting to wake him…just to lay eyes on him. Blair turned within the shelter of his arms. Rolling over until she settled onto her other side and her eyes could skim that face.

Long lashes shadowed his cheeks, his features were lax and soft as he rested. Every now and again his mouth twitched and brow furrowed, as if he couldn't figure whether or not the subject of his dreams left him confounded or amused. The line of his jaw was bristling and dark with stubble. She could almost feel the abrasive texture of it beneath her palms and she was already reaching before thinking better of the sudden urge. She didn't want to wake him up and break the moment.

Morning would be upon them soon enough, with all the questions still left to be asked and answered. The big one of what now? They couldn't exactly just pick right back up where they'd left off. He'd been so wrecked by Bart's death. While she'd just been trying to deal with the idea of raising two babies and starting her freshman year in college. Being on the outs with her mother and without a single clue how to find the man she loved.

But, then again, they weren't even those people anymore. Everything was changed. Different from where she'd left them. Everyone around her had gone on and picked up with their lives. Even Chuck and the twins.

Blair shook herself mentally, not ready to lose the earlier feeling of peace…of home. Not yet. Tomorrow. They'd start sorting things out. Figure out where life started again for her once the morning dawned and other people and doctors brought reality back to the forefront.

Right now, though, Blair wanted to lay curled against him. Morning would come soon enough.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

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**A/N:** Sorry would had this posted earlier but got caught up with the episode and then rewatching it again. And again. What they lacked in CB they made up fo it with other things, no? C punched that Jackass. Jackie, hon. Working on what we talked about. Okay back to the endnote for this piece. Episode ruined me sorry. …Okay and I'm back. :D. Thought I bring some drama to the forefront for NV and give CB a moment to breathe, no? lol. Okay well hope you enjoyed this and will update as soon as possible. As always let me know what you're thinking. Nothing but love guys. *runs back to watch C punch Jackass and CB mini moment* :kiss:

Courtneyஐ


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Another new one and long chapter to make up for the long wait and this extra long hiatus until we get a new ep. Lots of things going on these days. Back at work, classes have started and but the writing carries on…now doing that in the time in which sleep should be done…lol. As always thanks for the wonderful love and reviews. Super happy that you're still having as much fun with this as I am. Hugs all around. Kiss to my Wifey and Fam. Love you guys.

* * *

ஐ**Chapter 13**

Somewhere across town, at about the same time that Blair Waldorf was lying awake, watching her lover sleeping, Georgina was pulled from her own slumber. She reached out and found the place at her side to be cool to the touch. Not cold, though, she mused, reaching out blindly for the silk robe puddled on the floor. An increasingly familiar acrid smell reaching her…letting her know just what her wayward lover was up to.

Fuck. One of these nights, the crazy bastard was going to mess around and burn the goddamn building down around them. She belted the robe around her waist and stormed off to do damage control. Thank God she'd moved them out of the hotel and rented out this place…or convinced him to rent it out.

She'd covered her tracks well. If anything at all went wrong, the police wouldn't be able to trace her. They'd find her lover's name. Her bare feet padded against worn carpet. Damn she hated it. Nothing like she was used to, but she told herself once more that no one could know she was back. Not yet.

They'd been watching Chuck and Nate scrambling since the fire. The idiots had finally found the connection to Chuck. Only a matter of time before the rest came to them.

"Hey, where'd you go?" She called out softly, her voice hoarse and body shivering, the chilly air biting at her skin away from the warmth of the bed she'd just left. Georgina called out to him but didn't really need to hear his voice to hone in on his exact whereabouts. It would be the same as before. He'd been sitting there, the eerie, dancing glow bathing his face…reflecting in his eyes.

She shoved open the bathroom door and sure enough, there he was, his hard, naked body settled on the very edge of the tub…but he wasn't playing with that damn silver lighter. No, it wasn't just his face on which those wild shadows danced. No this time it was the entire bathroom that was aglow and the acrid smell of smoke rested heavy in the air.

She rushed over catching sight of the dance of flames that seemed to have seduced him…entranced him. They leapt high over the edge of the white porcelain, inching far too close to the shower curtain that he held aloof with hands far too lax.

Georgina reached around him, switching on the shower and extinguishing that which held her lover enthralled. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She cursed as his hand shot out, gripping…biting into her wrist. It was too late though. The fire was out. And the glow from the flames no longer flickered across the planes of that beautiful face.

"Why'd you do that? I had things under control."

She ignored him flicking on the overhead lights and walking back to his side. "What the hell is all this?" Georgina motioned to charred remains of what he'd been burning. She kneeled down lifting out pieces of the soggy, charred mess.

"What were these…papers?"

He shrugged, "There was a small problem earlier and I handled it."

"Small problem? What do you mean 'small problem'?" Georgina forgot her earlier twinge of fear and bore down on him, getting into his face. "What the fuck did you do?"

"One of them was at the house. They were getting close and so…I took care of things." He said, "You should be thanking me."

"I should?" She glared. Her expression transformed at that, all sweetness and light, tainted only with the finest edge of her anger. "Thank you. Thank you so much for fucking over what I've spent years putting together."

"Don't be like that, Georgie." He reached out, only to be shrugged off.

"Stop calling me that. I want to know what you've done. _Now_." She said.

His jaw clenched as he matched her hostile stance. "You said yourself that they couldn't figure out the connection to the old bastard and that fire. Well they were getting too damn close." He motioned to the bathtub. "I grabbed everything that I could get my hands on but who knows what the hell else they might have."

"Goddamit." Georgina tossed the soggy papers back into his face and stormed from the room. Stupid. Stupid, son-of-a-bitch.

"What are you so mad about? We need to do damage control. Maybe I could get into Bass'apartment or Archibald's brownstone. They could have more files there." He followed her.

"Who was it?" She stopped suddenly, whirling around to face him again. He sidestepped to stop from slamming into her.

"What?"

"At the house. Who was there? Was it Chuck? Nate?" Georgina demanded.

"No." Her lover shook his head, "It was the reporter. Humphrey. He tracked down the house somehow. He was snooping around. Motherfucker was actually trying to get into the house when I found him."

"Fuck…fuck. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was protecting our plan." He said, "Look you didn't seem to have a problem with the other bodies we've been leaving everywhere. You told me not to worry. 'Casualties of fucking war.' You said."

"Not Humphrey. I needed him." She yelled, "Carter Baizen has proven worthless in trying to get at Serena…she probably wouldn't even give a damn about him screwing Nate's Brooklyn mutt but I could've used Dan Humphrey. Damn it!"

"Well, you should've said something. I thought you were working on something else for the blonde bitch, anyway."

Georgina looked at him as if he was purposely being obtuse, "Yes and I'm prepared to go ahead with it. Everything is in place but Dan Humphrey is something else entirely…S was head over heels stupid for the loser in high school."

"That was a long time ago. She obviously moved on. She's got the kid right."

"With Baizen. No, I'm telling you. I've known Serena forever and she was never like that with anyone else. In love. Willing to do anything to protect him. Things would've gone _my _way last time if Blair hadn't stuck her nose in…her and Bass both."

"I barely remember any of the stupid bitches I fucked in high school."

"Must have been true love, then." She flopped down on the bed. "Serena loved Dan and despite how easy it was to work him before, I think he cared about her. Strong emotions like love don't just go away…not completely anyway. It'll eat you up…sort of like the need for revenge or don't you agree, lover."

He nodded after a moment.

"Good." She said, "Now's where's the fucking body?"

~ஐ~

"Yeah."

God, he'd actually answered. She settled back against the cracked leather of cab's backseat. Just the one word…but not saturated in the chilling, polite tones or angry emotion of before. Now he sounded tired.

"Vanessa, I know it's you."

And yet he'd answered. She didn't say that though, "Hey."

She closed her eyes. Shit. She hadn't expected him to answer the phone. She wasn't even sure what had possessed her to pick up the phone. After hurrying away from Carter's building she'd finally managed to flag down a cab…feeling numb from the freezing air around her and dreading the ride "home". Vanessa hated admitting it to herself, but the only thing that had stopped her from telling the cabbie to turn around and take her back to Carter's had been the fact that Serena was still there. Remembering that close call. Once she'd spotted the blonde, she'd been so sure that it was over…she was caught.

And thinking of getting caught, brought home to her how much she was still hurting Nate. Hurting herself.

"What is it, Vanessa?" Nate asked.

She shook herself free of thoughts of Carter and her actions of the past few hours. Taking a deep breath so that her voice wouldn't crack, she said, "Uh—How….How was dinner with your Mom?" Belated she added, "And your grandparents?"

"The same as always." He admitted. "Grandfather pitched taking a job under him. I don't know what the big deal is…he's already chosen his successor at the company."

She sighed, "He's probably still worried because of the shooting. Just like the rest of us."

"I'm not my father…or Chuck. I'd hate being stuck up in an office and the endless board meetings." Nate said, "Chuck seems to thrive when he's wheeling and dealing but when I see what it did to my father…I want no parts of it."

"I know. I know." Vanessa let out a quiet, shaky breath. "Not that I ever want to get caught agreeing with your grandfather or want you doing a job that would make you miserable…it's more about wishing you weren't in such a hazardous profession."

His end of the line fell silent before he cleared his throat, "Would you really miss me so much if I died?"

Heart stuttering even at his soft incredulous words, she yelled at him. "Why would you say something like that? Dammit, Nate. I—I.."

"Sorry, guess I'm just not sure what you're feeling these days." He said. "Forget I even asked. Was that all you wanted? You wanted to know about dinner. It was fine. Want the rundown of the menu…I'll have Cook give you a call in the morning. Or maybe you wanted to know the latest family gossip…like how cousin Camille just finished her fourth stint in rehab or old Uncle Frederick's still hitting on _anything _with two legs…despite the walker."

"Nate, stop…"

"Or maybe you're wondering where we fit in with the rest of the Archibald/Vanderbilt family dirty laundry." He said.

Now, now that he was mentioning all that other crap. "Oh my God…" Great. Just fucking great. What had he told the old bastard? If it weren't so damned undignified she was sure that Nate's grandfather would've danced a fucking jig at the news of finally getting the unwanted "Brooklyn trash" out of his family.

God, she'd let the old fucker get into her head. Stupid. Stupid.

"I told them you were spending the day with your parents." Nate said. "They don't know anything about…our separation."

"Oh."

"I need to go…I've got plans to keep." He said impatiently.

Plans? Plans with who? Chuck…Dammit. Stop it. Stop it, she told herself, fighting the familiar tang of jealousy making her throat clench. "Okay. What a Christmas, Archibald. Nothing like what I expected."

"Yeah…I know what you mean." He said softly. The silence stretched between them and the ache of melancholy held them both.

Vanessa searched her mind for something more…something to fix what was broken but what the hell could she possibly say. What could repair the damage wrought by mistakes and insecurities? She'd messed up so badly. Months before when the stick had turned blue, Vanessa had imagined her baby's first Christmas. Then after the miscarriage, she'd been sad, but still hopeful. It all went away with their second loss. Well, not all…she'd spent the last six months destroying the rest on her own.

"Nate…"

He was quiet. He waited. Waited for the words. Would he give her forgiveness so easily or would he make her say the words and leave her to the mess she'd made? Nate broke free, not ready to hear the words or already knowing that he couldn't offer her absolution. "I need to go." He repeated his earlier words. "Merry Christmas, Vanessa."

"You too. Merry Chri…" She started, but he'd already hung up, cutting off the rest.

The remainder of the ride home passed…a blur…unremarkable as their conversation replayed in her mind over and over again. Wondering if she could find forgiveness. Was she strong to enough to ask for it? Even if she received it wasn't her marriage already over.

One thing she knew for certain and that was that she would never go back to Carter's bed, wallowing in her regret over what she'd broken. She absently handed over the fare once the cab pulled up in front of the brownstone.

Vanessa stepped out onto the snow-covered sidewalk, the neighborhood quiet around her and most of the other houses gone dark with residents off in warmer, exotic locales or who'd simply found their warm beds already.

Maybe she'd try working on her project proposal. She'd let that fall off to the wayside and if she was losing Nate, she didn't want to have what was left of her career go right down the tubes behind it. Nate's grandfather may be making things difficult, having his buddies pull her funding….but she could find what she needed elsewhere. She would. She'd work until she was too exhausted to think or miss Nate. Or at least she'd damn well give her best effort.

Resolved and making plans, Vanessa didn't notice the figure coming towards her until he was standing directly in her path. Her breath caught and fear made her entire body clench…and she squeaked out her horror when he reached out and grabbed her arm.

Whoever he was. He was covered in a filthy, ragged overcoat. His face and body were completely shrouded…whether in an effort to protect himself from the extremities or to conceal his identity for whatever offense he was about to commit…Vanessa didn't know.

Oh God. How many times had Nate lectured her about paying attention…being careful…especially when she was out alone. Or those nights when he was stuck at the station. Please let him just want money. He was just some old homeless guy and he needed money. That was all. It was a cold night and he approached her for those reasons alone.

"Look, I…" She started. Holding her hands up and more than prepared to hand over her bag. Old habits died hard and despite years of being married to Nate she never carried a lot with her. She hoped what little was in there would be enough. Her wedding ring glinted, catching the light as she moved. Shit. Her hand moved instinctively to cover it from sight. Too late. "Just tell me what you want and I…"

"Vanessa. For godsakes. It's me."

It took a moment for the words to register and then even longer for the voice to sink. She'd heard it countless times in the past twenty-plus years but still it was alien, mixed up with her residual terror.

Those hands grabbed her again and she pulled the dirty scarf and woolen cap from his head. Her relief warring with anger, she struck out. "Dan!! You fucking scared the hell out of me."

"Ow!" He said, warding off her blows. "Would you mind not hitting me? I think I've taken more than enough abuse this past week."

She looked at him again. Taking in his full appearance. The dirt streaking his face and dried blood at his temple. "What the hell happened to you? And what are you wearing?"

"I got mugged. Can we please go inside…I don't even know how many blocks I just walked and I'm freezing my ass off." He said.

She hurried up the stone steps and was shoving the key into the deadlock when Mrs. Jameson's lights flickered to life next door. Damn, this she didn't need. Not right now. The old woman meant well enough but she was nosy as hell.

Her curtains shifted and she looked right out at them. Her eyes feel on Dan with suspicion, her expression alarmed as her eyes almost reluctantly shifted to Vanessa's face.

"Everything's fine, Mrs. Jameson." Vanessa called out loudly, smiling to get the message across. She shoved the door open. "Dan get the hell inside…please."

"Don't have to tell me twice…how long does it take for frostbite to set in?" He moved around her, hurrying inside, one hand still gripping his injured head. "Please tell me you've got like a boatload of aspirin. Or something stronger. Bastard got me good."

"Oh, we're gonna talk about that. I'm sure we've got something. No go." She shoved him inside and turned back to the old woman. "See just fine. Go back to bed, Mrs. Jameson."

Waving and smiling again for good measure she quickly followed in her best friend's wake. Slamming the door shut behind her and faltering as the smell suddenly hit her. "Oh my god. Is that you? I thought the Coopers' stupid dog left another present. Ew." She pinched her nose. "What happened to you?"

He glanced away from her, muttering beneath his breath.

"Dan, seriously. And your head." Vanessa rushed forward despite the smell and reached for his face, peering closely at the bloody cut. "Maybe we should get you to the hospital…this looks kind of deep."

"It's fine, Vanessa." He batted her hand away, his own still shaking with the cold. She frowned taking in the blue-tint of his skin and chattering teeth.

"Okay but you need to get out of that stuff _and _tell me what the hell happened to you."

"I did…I got m-"

"Mugged, yea I remember. By who Hobo Jim?" She said, making a face at the filthy overcoat he wore.

"Hobo who? Nevermind. I'll explain later. It's as cold in here as it was out there…what are you stressing the heating bill…crank it up, Vanessa. I'm freezing my ass off here."

Vanessa shrugging out of her own coat, immediately felt the warm air bathing her chilled flesh and she turned back to her friend, suddenly feeling almost afraid as she'd been out in the frigid night, facing the unknown. "Enough, Dan. I'm taking you to the hospital."

~ஐ~

Treating herself to a second glass of wine, Serena forced herself not to watch the clock and instead went to check on the kids. Not one of the dozing trio had so much as twitched or whimpered in protest when she and Chuck's driver managed to cart them all upstairs to her apartment. She'd even managed a half-hearted conversation with her neighbor…pretending for just a few moments that she wasn't absolutely furious with Carter. That every unanswered call to Dan's cell and hour that passed wasn't driving her out of her mind.

She looked in on Alex curled beneath the covers in the middle of her bed, Robbie forgotten and fallen to the floor now that he'd settled in for sleep. Serena grabbed up the bear and slipped the toy back in beside her little boy. As usual, the twins were camped out in the bedroom across from Alex's.

Trying to distract herself, she settled down in front of the television, but none of the images grabbed her attention. Instead she started thinking about her earlier conversation with Nate.

He'd promised that he and Chuck didn't have Dan involved with anything dangerous. He'd looked her in the eye and told her not to worry and here she was hours later able to do nothing else. Earlier her thoughts had been consumed with Carter and…Too much. It was just too damn much. Dan. Carter. Carter. Dan.

She reached for her cell and didn't bother calling her former boyfriend again. Serena hit speed dial and a split second later the line was ringing.

"Serena. What's up?" Nate asked, sounding distracted and as tightly wound as she felt.

"What's up?" Was he serious? "I haven't spoken to Dan since this morning. That's what's up. No one's heard from him all day…not Vanessa earlier or Jenny. I've tried his cell phone and his hotel I don't know how many time…"

Now she seemed to have his complete attention, "Whoa. Slow down."

"I'm really worried. Something…I think something's happened to him." Serena admitted. "You promised and you lied."

"Okay." He said quietly, "Look, I'm sorry. Let me—let me make some calls."

To where? To who? She wanted to ask but didn't need to. He was a cop. He'd make his calls first to the hospitals and the morgue. Oh, god.

"I just really want to know what this is about. You three are being so damn secretive and now Dan's missing …" Serena's voice rose, despite her best attempts at reining herself in. She dragged in a deep breath and raked her hand through her hair, eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Look, Serena. Let me do this. You can yell at me all you'd like later. Okay? Good." He surged ahead, giving her no chance to interrupt him again. Nate hurriedly promised to call as soon as he knew anything.

Serena's next thought was to call her stepbrother and give him a piece of her mind, but she resisted the urge. Barely. She could very well just be overreacting, but Serena had a truly bad feeling that this wasn't the case here. Something was very wrong. And Nate had damn well better call her back. Soon.

~ஐ~

Fifteen minutes after she'd let herself be talked out of hustling her best friend to the hospital, Vanessa found herself standing outside of one of the guest bathrooms. She knocked, steam seeping from under the door.

"Yeah?" His voice came back muffled and undecipherable through the wood and over the sound of the shower.

"I found you some clothes."

"What?"

"I said…" Opening the door, enough to make herself heard she repeated her earlier words, then she told him. "I'm just going to leave it on the bed. Now please don't fall and drown yourself in there…cleaning that cut and putting on the band-aid was about the extent of my nursing skills."

"Huh?" He called out over the sound of the shower. His voice booming and filling the room. "Sorry, Vanessa. I didn't hear a single thing you just said."

Vanessa opened her mouth, but didn't try again. "Nevermind." She laid out one of Nate's heavier set of sweats. Dan had seemed to warm some once she'd gotten him to shuck off some of that wet clothing and in front of the fireplace.

She walked back into the master bedroom and to the suitcase now lying open. Vanessa had rifled through the other two suitcases now resting on the floor looking for something warm for her best friend to wear. She search for something…anything that covered him up a bit more than the afghan he'd been wearing as she got him cleaned the blood from his head and patched him up.

His entire body had seemed to be a mass of bruises. And besides the cut at his temple, she'd felt one helluva goose egg forming at the back of his head. Damn. She shouldn't have let him talk her out of a trip to the ER. The bastard who'd stolen his wallet. His cell phone. And half of his damn clothes had proceeded to beat the living hell out of him and then left him out in the damn snow. Half-conscious. According to Dan, if not for two old drunks stumbling across him in the snow, he might've still been there. The guys had taken shelter in the abandoned rowhome. They'd found Dan and taken care of him, letting him cover up with the coat of one of their pals lost only a week before to the deadly cold. Their dead friend had gone out drunk and warm in a bed of snow. She was thankful that her own best friend hadn't met the same end.

Feeling drained, Vanessa sank down on the edge of the bed and started refolding the mess she'd made of Nate's packing job. Though she would've rathered hang every single item back in her husband's mostly empty walk-in closet, she refolded every single piece…forcing herself not to pay any attention to the colorfully wrapped present she'd found during her search. It bore her. She should just put it back where she'd found it along with everything else. But these days she wasn't much for doing what she should, now was she?

Instead after repacking, Nate's clothes. She lined the suitcases up just the way he'd left them, walking away from their bedroom with small rectangular box, holding it close to her body, as if someone might jump out at her and snatch it away.

The shower was still going as she walked by the guest room where she'd left Dan. Vanessa didn't pause or call out to check up on her. She headed straight for the stairs and didn't stop moving until she held the boxed cradled with one arm and her other hand was reaching for the whiskey from the bar, Nate always insisted on keeping stocked. She'd given some to Dan earlier, trying to help him warm. The fiery liquid burned a trail down her throat as she gulped it down, pouring herself another before the warmth had a chance to seep into every part of her body.

Glancing down at the gift…Nate's Christmas gift to her, she walked over to the sofa and set her drink just within reach.

Jewelry? The box was as long as it was wide. Not a bracelet. She'd never been comfortable wearing any of the stuff Nate used to buy her in the beginning. Honestly, she didn't think any of it fit her. Sure those early gifts had been pretty and thoughtful enough, but just not her. She'd been happier with tickets to the Angelika. Quiet dinner. Good music.

Vanessa took a deep breath and started tearing at the delicate wrapping paper. No turning back now. She tore away the remained of the paper, revealing a box without label or sign what might be hidden from her sight. She lifted the lid and found yet another box…this one of dark blue velvet. He'd bought her jewelry again, really? Feeling an inexplicable spurt of disappointment she opened the velvet box and felt her entire body clench and her eyes burn, as if she'd just doused _them _with that damn whiskey.

"Nate," She lifted the small white card in one hand, bearing her husband's handwriting and the tiny silver spoon with her others. She blinked rapidly trying to get it together enough to read the simple words that Nate had written. No proclamations of love. He'd simply written the words "One Day." She held up the small spoon meant for a child who would never be…not now and she read the inscription there, words clogging in her mind. Lodging in her throat.

"_Always_

_N__ღ__V"_

Shit. Shit. She couldn't believe he'd done this. Holding the small, thoughtful gift that had been meant with so much love, her heart broke all over again.

~ஐ~

The vibration in his pants jolted him awake. He jerked, his eyes snapping open and confronting the woman lying just the barest of inches away. She slept but he could almost detect the soft curve of her smile and her eyelids flickered rapidly, making him wonder what she dreamed of…so different from the stillness that had stolen her away and kept them apart for the past five years.

The buzz and vibration of his phone came again. Chuck reached for it, slipping from her side and feeling more well-rested from those few hours than he could remember feeling in a very long time. He frowned, mouth compressing when his best friend's name flashed up at him.

Glancing over his shoulder at the woman asleep on her side, one hand tucked beneath her cheek and the other resting against the empty place where he'd lain asleep. He answered the call as it buzzed again, slipping into the closet of a bathroom that was little bigger than the shower in his bath suite.

"Nathaniel. What's wrong?" Chuck said without preamble. If his best friend was calling at such a late hour and when he knew Chuck was with B then something was up.

"Has Serena called you?"

"No. Why? What's going on?"

"She's worried about Humphrey." Nate told him, "Apparently no one's seen him since this morning. I'm heading for his hotel now…figure I'll flash my badge try get into his room. The front desk said he rented a car just before noon and hasn't come back since. Car's equipped with OnStar so we're waiting on a location."

"Humphrey rented a car. What the hell was he up to?" Chuck shook his head, trying to fathom the thoughts of a man he'd never considered friend. And yet with whom he'd shared some of his most guarded secrets. Never quite friends but he didn't want to see anything happen to the guy. Especially not if he had anything to do with his father. "You think he might've found something in those files?"

"Yeah, I do." Nate said, "You hear anything from your PI."

"He's still coming up empty."

"What about Jack?" Nate cleared his throat, "I know he's family and you said you were sure that he wasn't behind this but…"

"Let's get one thing straight, Nathaniel." Chuck interrupted, "You're family. That bastard just so happens to share in my old man's DNA. And I assure you… I know when that effer takes a fucking piss. He's not in on this. As we speak, good ol' Uncle Jack is in the same shithole that I dropped him in five years ago."

"Did you get the confirmation about Georgina and the institution in Prague?"

Chuck nodded, "Yeah. My guy says he received confirmation from one of the nurses. Crazy bitch is locked in a padded cell. Just where she belongs."

"Fuck. Guess that would been too easy, huh?" Nate sighed. "Look, I'm just a few minutes out from the hotel. I ring you back when I know anything."

"I'll be up." Chuck surveyed his appearance in the mirror, rubbing a hand across his cheek dark with stubble. Everything about his appearance seemed slumberous and relaxed. All but his eyes. Dark and alert. Ready for whatever the next few hours might bring.

The two old friends quietly said their goodbyes. Chuck took one last look at his expression in the mirror before switching out, bathing himself in completely darkness, dragging in deep breath and hand clenching on the door knob. He stood there and for how long Chuck wasn't truly certain. All he could think about was this new threat. First it'd touched his business and now it seemed to be inching closer into the personal. Out of all the investments that Nate's Detective Miller had traced back to Bass Industries and to Chuck himself…only Jenny did he have any kind of personal history. And now Humphrey was missing. Those two things alone weren't by any means conclusive but something had the warning bells in his mind working overtime. The threat to him was getting far to close too home.

For a moment, Chuck entertained the idea of packing up Blair and the girls and getting them. Getting his family and those he cared for most out of the picture until he got a better grasp on just what the hell was going on around him. The last thing in the world he wanted was to be separated from Blair right now, but things didn't let up soon…if his instincts kept firing off warning shots, Chuck didn't think that he'd have any other choice but to send them all away.

Dragging a hand through his hair, Chuck let himself out of the darkened bathroom and stepped into the dim light bathing Blair's hospital room. He wanted to crawl back into bed and lie at her side, but thought better of it. Knowing he needed to stay awake to wait for Nate's call. Instead, pulled up the chair beside her hospital bed. Content for the moment to just watch her dream, distracting himself from his own dark thoughts, thinking of her with their daughters only a few hours before…his mind dwelling on all but the silent cell phone resting in his pocket.

~ஐ~

"Hey, you okay?"

Vanessa looked up from the box settled on her lap into her friend's concerned eyes. "No." She said with hesitation. "I screwed up…I screwed up big time."

He brushed the discarded wrapping paper from aside and sat down next to her. "You want to talk about it."

She offered a teary-smile, her words self-deprecating. "Be careful. I about tore you head off last time you made an offer like that." She broke after that. "I went back. That night. While you guys were stuck in that damn fire…I cheated on Nate..._again. _I keep doing it."

"What happened? You told him the truth?" Dan asked.

Vanessa shook her head, "Of course not. I wish I had…no that's not the truth. I don't know what to do. My head's been so fucked up…for months. I've been picking fights with everyone. My sister stopped talked to me weeks ago and the people at work steer clear when they see me coming." She admitted, softly. She hadn't told Nate about either development on the home or workfront.

"You love Nate, Vanessa. And I know he loves you. The guy's been a complete grouch the past few days."

"Really?" She said, "When did you see him? What did he say?" Something like hope began stirring in her, but her best friend's expression changed as she battered him with questions. Shutting down. Had him been lying trying to make her feel better, telling her Nate wasn't was miserable as she felt. Old insecurities whispered back…telling her that once her husband got over the sting of her betrayal, he'd feel nothing more than relief at narrowly escaping the insane promise he'd been making to her with his Christmas present.

Her fingers brushed at the scrawling inscription. It was short and a complete lie. _Always_. He promised her always…but what would that word mean tied to someone who couldn't give you what you wanted in life. Someone who didn't measure up to expectations that you didn't even know that you had…not until it was too late anyway.

Poor Nate. He'd chosen wrong. His present promised her an _Always _that had never even belonged to her. She shook her head, hearing her best friend speaking but his words meaning nothing. After a while he just stopped talking and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her head against his shoulder. Her hands clutched at the soft material of Nate's sweatshirt. She could still detect her husband's distinctive scent. His cologne. His clothes. His smell. All over Dan. Half-muddled up with regret and alcohol, Vanessa tilted her head until her face was buried against her best friend's neck. Her breath fanning the steady beat of his pulse. Her hands squeezed at the lean muscles in his arms, clutching…trying to holding on something…someone who wasn't there at all.

"It's okay, Vanessa." He promised her, she shut her eyes and for a moment let herself pretend that it wasn't Dan promising her that things could be made right again. That it was Nate who held her so close against his heart and stroked her back, trying to soothed fears that would give her no peace.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She said, kissing his neck. Vanessa felt him stiffen and start to pull away from her. That couldn't happen. Not yet. Not right now. Nate. She missed her Nate. His smell still in her nostrils and face against the back of her closed lids, she grasped with both hands, framing the face so close to her own.

"Vanessa, wait." Dan's voice filled ears but all she could see and hear was her husband.

She turned her head and pulled his face closer, brushing her mouth against his, her tongue darting out and tracing the seam of his lips. They parted easily with his "oh" of surprise, and she took full advantage of those few seconds until they both tasted of liquor and salty tears.

"Nate." She whispered her husband's name in her mind. Out loud.

This time Dan yanked away from her, hand at his mouth and taking her in with shocked eyes. Vanessa shook her head, realizing what she'd done. Dan. Not Nate or even Carter, her more than willing stand-in. Jesus.

"Vanessa, what the hell is the matter with you?" He started to move from the couch, but faltered as she buried her face in her hands.

"You're next. I'm going to lose you next." She murmured, no more tears. Her voice hollow and ringing with the sound of her utter conviction that she spoke the truth.

He didn't put his arms around her again. Not immediately. He did reach out and rubbed a soothing hand across her back. "Haven't learned your lesson after all these years, huh, Archibald. There's no getting rid of me…though I think we'd better leave off with the other stuff. Tried our best before and didn't quite work out the way we thought it would."

"Yea, I remember. You were over the moon for Serena Van der Woodsen."

"And you gave your heart to Nate."

Vanessa laughed, looking skyward with watering eyes, "And look how well that turned out. I'm such a mess. Don't pay any attention to me. You're a better friend than I could've ever wished for…you know."

"Yeah I know." He retorted without an ounce of modesty, smiling wide.

"I love you, you know."

This time he did pull her close. Needing to hug his best friend and console, just as much as she needed it from him. After her stricken expression just a moment ago, he wasn't the least worried about a repeat performance of that kiss. Or letting her know that he was there for her and just how he felt. "I love you, too."

~ஐ~

Just a few minutes out from the hotel. Already sure what he'd say to the front desk. How he'd get into Dan's room to find some clue to where the other man had disappeared to. Just those few minutes. He'd called Chuck, despite how much he wanted to leave his best friend out of the loop…at least for a few more hours. Let him enjoy his reunion with Blair in peace.

Still he couldn't get Serena's voice out of his head. No one had heard from Humphrey since earlier in the day. Not his sister. His parents. Or even…All they knew was that he'd rented a car and taken off for parts unknown on Christmas day. Some lead. Bastard should've called. Son of a bitch. Nate was in that mode. Worried. Cursing quietly. Wondering what he'd find in Humphrey's hotel. What had been in those files?

That was when the call came through.

If asked later, Nate couldn't be sure what he'd said or even how he'd come to be standing in the foyer. Not in the hotel where he belong. But somehow, carried home as if by mere thought and no exertion or maneuvering on his part.

And there they were. Relaxing on the sofa. _His _sofa. Head butting up against one another and that motherfucker with his arm thrown so casually around Vanessa's shoulders. They weren't making love…or even kissing. No, they just sat there so comfortably, both gazing into the burning depths of the goddamn fireplace that _he'd_ insisted on. Thinking she would enjoy the romance of it on a cold night like this one.

It was all too much. He saw them there like this and they might as well be naked in front of him, in the very throes of passion. Hell he'd pictured that fucking bitch enough this past week, enacting every from of love possible with some faceless bastard and now here was Humphrey. A tad fucking too much. Just as he barely remembered Mrs. Jameson's worried called about some strange man lurking around the house and then going inside with Vanessa, he couldn't remember moving. One moment he was standing back there bearing witness to their intimate silence and the next he was pulling Dan up from the sofa, fists gripped in…_his _fucking sweatshirt.

"Nate, what are you…"

He heard Vanessa voice like ringing in the back of his ear. Shaking off her reaching hands and drawing back one clenched fist, Nate could think nothing, see nothing except his wife and her best friend, fucking him over…

**TBC**ஐ

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**A/N:** Okay so not a lot of CB…thought they could use a moment of peace while NV's troubles and the fire that was and danger that is could take the forefront for a bit. Poor worried S? Confused Vanessa? Betrayed Nate? And Dan…boy can't catch a break. Okay again sorry this took so long getting back to you but hope you enjoyed it. I will update as soon as possible. As always let me know what you're thinking. Nothing but love guys.

ஐCourtneyஐ


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Longer is better some say and this one is up there….make up a bit for being MIA thanks to work…school…and life's general nuisances…don't they know I just want to write…haha. Okay here's a new one for you guys. As always thanks for the wonderful love and reviews. Extremely glad that there are so many people enjoying different parts of this…I know this one was my CB-fic was a bit CB-lite in that last chapter…puzzled over that abit myself but NV and the flames of Georgie's revenge needed my attention for a bit….still glad everyone is enjoying this. Still having fun with it. Wifey gets huge props for the assist in catching all my sleep-deprived errs…Hugs all around. Kiss to my Wifey and Fam. Love you guys.

* * *

**Chapter 14**ஐ

Well, fuck. Dan mused. Caught off-guard for the second time on one day but at least he saw this one coming. Looking up into Nate Archibald's enraged visage, he had one last clear thought before the hit came. _This is going to hurt like hell_

Now he didn't exactly lose consciousness after that. Not in a true sense. But when the world stopped spinning, Dan found himself laid out on his ass, while the estranged couple yelled and gestured wildly, above him. Above him? He sat up, hands braced against the glossy, hardwood floor. His hand came up, ginger and testing as he held his jaw. Felt like he'd faced off with a goddamn freight train.

"…re you just come in here…"

"…ney paid for this damn place. I'll come in however the hell I wan…"

His head swam and vision blurred. Dan murmured, "Guys."

Still they carried on. For some reason their argument coming at him in bits and pieces, his belly roiling, nauseous and hollowed out.

"…ieve that you think I've been sleeping with Dan. It's not him. He wasn't even in town that first night. For godsakes. I can't believe you just did that."

"Uh, Vanessa." Dan blinked rapidly trying to clear his vision. "Nate."

"Stay out of this, Humphrey. I'm pissed at you as it is."

"Don't talk to him like that. You hit him remember. For no good reason." Vanessa said.

Nate laughed, "You absolutely right. Dan was helping at the scene of the fire while you were off fucking your boyfriend. Tell you what…give me the bastard's name and I'll hit him instead. How about that?"

"This isn't you." Vanessa said, "Why are you being like this?"

"I guess the other way wasn't doing me much good. No respect at work. Wife's a total bitch and an adulterous bitch at that." He said. Nate shook his head and started to walk away but as he stepped back, his shoe crunched down on the fallen gift box and tissue paper that had been discarded in the chaos. He grabbed up the gift that he'd chosen with such thought weeks before, wanting to reassure his wife that he wasn't going anywhere. If children were meant to come for them then he was all for it. He'd known she was devastated and feeling insecure. Nate had wanted her to know that they would be okay…even if that meant not having children that they'd made together. Hell, he'd even started looking into the possibility of adoption. Anything to fix what was broken, but now it was too late. He didn't have any hope left. Only her betrayal and hurt he didn't want to feel. "You went through my things."

She looked away as he scooped up the crumpled box and her gift. "Dan needed something to wear. He got mugged and his clothes…"

Nate wasn't listening. He didn't care. "And you thought you'd find him something in here?" He glared at her, waving the box in her view until she brought her eyes back to his furious expression.

"I know I shouldn't have opened it but it had my name on it and you were going to give it to me before…"

"Right _before."_ He walked over to the fireplace with jerky movements and tossed both items into the flames. The box ignited immediately but the small, silver spoon shone, reflecting the hungry flame trying to consume it.

"Nate!" She pushed past him as he stood there, just watching. Vanessa wanted to extinguish the fire, retrieve her Christmas gift. She reached for the poker. It was important that she got it back somehow but Nate pulled her away from the lapping flames.

"Let it go."

"Hey!!" Dan called out, gaining annoyed glances from them both. At least until his face paled and he dry heaved his meager breakfast all over the Persian rug they'd gotten from Nate's grandmother. Feeling humiliated and disgusted as all hell, Dan took solace in the fact that finally the bickering couple granted him their attention.

"Dan!" Vanessa hurried over with her husband quick on her heels.

Nate crowded behind her bent form. "What the hell happened to him?"

"I told you he got mugged. You didn't exactly help by coming in here and hitting him." She said, "Dan, tough guy act is over. You're going to the hospital. Nate, help me get him up."

"Hospital doesn't sound like such a bad idea." Dan admitted, miserably. He tried to stand but only hindered progress as Vanessa and Nate tried to get him on his feet. They finally got him over to the couch and sitting long enough for Vanessa to get him one of Nate's coats and a pair of shoes. Apparently she'd trashed the clothes and shoes that Dan had been wearing when he'd shown up, saying he smelled like he'd been rolling around in a garbage heap.

"What happened, Humphrey?" Nate demanded, the moment Vanessa left them alone. Partially to find out what the hell the other man had been up to before he'd gotten the shit kicked out of him and partly to keep some awareness in the man's suddenly glassy eyes. "Answer me, man. What went down today?"

Dan closed his eyes, wishing Nate would leave him the hell alone. When the room was spinning so damn much and he didn't feel like hurling, his throbbing head seemed to ache even that much more. Now Nate actually expected him to think in a coherent and complete sequence. Yeah, right. He blinked rapidly until the two Nates looking at him merged into one. That was good, wasn't it?

"Stay with me here, Humphrey. You went through the files." Nate said, worried about the sudden pallor of the other man's cheeks. He patted lightly against the other man's cheek remembering belatedly, when Dan winced, the damaged he'd done earlier, crashing his fist into the other man's face.

He'd expected to feel better doing that, putting all his frustrations into that one hit. Damned if it'd worked. Or hadn't. Whatever it hadn't changed a damn thing, except his hand hurt like hell and Humphrey looked…well like hell warmed over.

Dan cleared his throat, trying to sit up. His eyes locked onto Nate's. "The file. One of the files. I went to the house and I don't know. Bastard came out of nowhere and clocked me. Beat the hell out of me…then he was dragging me somewhere. Next thing I know I'm waking up in a fucking dumpster in the city…instead of…instead of…Jersey. I was in Jersey."

"What was in Jersey?"

"Our lead. The house. Fuck, man. My head is killing me. I can't think straight. It's all in my notes. The files." Dan told him.

"Where are they?" Nate asked, "Did you have them with you?"

"No." Dan started to shake his head, then he appeared to think better of the simple movement, reaching up a hand to his temple. "Everything's back at the hotel. He took my cell. I was going to call you and Chuck as soon as I knew if the house was a viable lead and..."

"And turns out it was." Nate finished for him as the other man grimace, shutting his eyes against the light in the room. "No more stunts like that, Humphrey."

"Stunts like what?" Vanessa demanded coming back into the living room, carrying a coat and shoes for Dan.

Nate looked around at her, "The mugging." He said without missing a beat. "I told him to go with it next time. Guy could've killed him over what…money? His cell?"

She turned back to Dan, "I can't believe you did that. Come on. Let's get you checked out."

The married couple again worked together, saying little to one another as they got Dan ready to head back into the elements. Vanessa waited in the foyer as Nate flagged down a cab, his breath fogging out heavy clouds in the freezing night air. When she hadn't been looking, he'd taken out his phone and was speaking rapidly into it. Every now and again, he glanced at her and at Dan, who they'd managed to prop up against the wall.

Dan shivered, and his chattering teeth brought her full attention back his way, instead of through the front door that she'd cracked open. "Sorry." She started to push it shut but saw her husband starting back up the steps to their front door, a waiting taxi idling at the curb.

Phone still at his ear, he neared thee door and Vanessa could've sworn that she heard him speaking to Chuck. Great so her friend was hurt and had who knew what wrong with him and _Nate_ took the time to chitchat with his buddy.

"Was that Chuck? I thought you were calling your friend Paul…the medic."

At first it seemed that he was prepared to brush by her without a word but then he did speak, his eyes landing on Dan. Avoiding her gaze totally as he said, "I did. He says Dan might definitely have a concussion…like we thought. Paul said we'd better get him to the ER so they can get a CT and assess the rest of the damage."

Vanessa nodded but she was still very sure that she'd heard him talking to Chuck…about Dan? Why would Nate be calling his best friend at this hour and concerning Dan Humphrey no less. She wondered but didn't ask, intent for the moment on getting the pale man between them down the steps and into the waiting cab. The rest she could worry about later.

~ஐ~

After hanging up with his best friend, Chuck briefly debated on whether or not he should call Serena. She was already suspicious. She'd said as much to Nate earlier when she'd finally sounded the alarm on Dan still being MIA.

From the bits and pieces that Dan had been able to tell them, it seemed that he was more like his father than he'd ever thought. Just as with that first fire before he'd even been born, Chuck now had blood on his hands. People had died in the recent fires. If not for Blair and the girls, Chuck would've wished that the bastard would stop effing around with the cat-and-mouse games and come right at him. Fucker.

Phone clenched in hand, Chuck debated calling his stepsister. She would asked questions that he had no intentions of answering. At least not yet. He'd call her once they knew more about Humphrey's circumstances. Once the other man was more lucid and had the fictitious details of his mugging down pat. For now though, he sent off a quick text, letting her know that Dan was alive and well.

"_S,_

_ Nathaniel tracked down your boyfriend. He's fine. Don't want to wake B. Will call in morning. _

_ C."_

His stepsister didn't keep him long in waiting as the cell vibrated in his hand. Feeling not the least bit of remorse he pressed the "End" button. "Sorry, sis. "

He'd already let her know that Humphrey was alive and well. Not much else he could say to her right now. He sure as hell had no intention of telling her what her former boyfriend had been up to in Jersey.

Blair watched through hooded lids, studying him as he came out. His expression intense, his eyes glued to the cell phone in his hand. It vibrated and she watched displeasure spread across his face. He cursed softly, jaw clenched.

"Want to talk about it?"

Chuck looked up, surprise clear in his expression. Phone still in hand he casually strolled back to the chair that he'd vacated only minutes before when Nate had called and she'd still been sound asleep. Damned if she was up. "You're awake." He said unnecessarily, his mouth curving. His features relaxed completely, absent was the worry and displeasure she'd seen etched in the beautiful angles as he'd come out clutching that phone in hand.

"Anything wrong?" She asked, looking pointedly from him to the darkened bathroom.

Chuck shook his head, "Nothing. Just business."

Her expression doubtful, she glanced at the wall clock just over his shoulder. She'd already checked, minutes ago when she'd woken up and found him gone. There had been no time to panic. Not when she could see slender panel of light slipping through where he'd left the bathroom door cracked open. She was soothed by the rumble of his voice echoing off the walls. His words had been indecipherable but that he was still there had been enough "Business, huh." Her brow arched.

"Yes, business overseas. Being head of Bass Industries is a 24/7 position, Waldorf." He said.

"I can imagine." She rolled her eyes, "Poor Chuck…head of a billion dollar company and forced to conduct business in that closet of a bathroom."

"Multi-billion dollar." He corrected, smirking as she unknowingly echoed his earlier thoughts.

"Sorry, I stand corrected." Blair's smile teased, her tone devoid of anything even close to resembling remorse. She sobered after a moment, thinking about the endless stream of questions that kept coming to her. She wasn't about to ask him about the women who'd come after her. Had any special one carved out a place in the heart that he'd clearly given to his daughters? She wouldn't ask. She couldn't know. She wasn't ready to burst their peaceful bubble. Not by letting the outside world in…not yet.

"You should still be asleep."

"Why? Am I keeping you from something?" The curve of lips remained firmly in place but the possible truth beyond that question left her with stirrings of unease.

She pushed those doubts to the back of her mind. He wanted to be here. Chuck could've quite easily have gone off for the night with Kat and Evie, free to conduct his business…spend those late night hours however he wished but instead he'd chosen to stay.

"No, nothing that won't hold." Chuck assured, leaning forward just as his cell vibrated again. As if to prove his words he held up the phone and hit the "end" button again. "See. It'll wait until morning."

Of course he hadn't let her see that it was her best friend calling again. He wanted to call her…text her. Tell her to damn well leave it alone for the night, but he couldn't very well do that with Blair's eyes on him.

Blair said. "I know I said so before…but I'm really glad that you stayed."

"Well, I couldn't very well abandon you on your first night, could I?" He smiled, "I'll remember that week you spent in the hospital when we were ten. You were driving everyone insane by that third day."

She frowned and then laughed. Of course. How could she have forgotten that week? She'd been all set for her trip to the Hamptons with Serena and the Archibald when her stupid appendix had chosen that most inconvenient time to nix her plans. Of course, she hadn't improved things by immediately going to Dorota and telling the woman just how badly she'd been feeling. She'd been so excited about the trip and worried that she wouldn't be allowed to go if it seemed that she was taking ill. Dorota would've had her on her back, in bed pouring bowl after bowl of chicken noodle soup down Blair's throat. Or at least she would've if it had turned out to be a cold or anthrax…anything but her stupid stupid appendix, acting up and ruining everything. Her bags had been packed but then Dorota had noticed her fever and the ache in her side had gotten worse.

Her maid could be overdramatic at times but when she'd seen how worried Dorota the feeling became infectious to her ten-year-old self and Blair admitted to feeling 'slightly under the weather,' reluctantly divulging the symptoms that barely registered for her as anything more than the cancellation of her big plans. Within minutes Dorota had been on the telephone with Blair's pediatrician. They'd called her parents on the way to the hospital.

Blair rolled her eyes now. Poor Dorota. The craziest part of it all was that if she'd said something at the beginning she'd have been able to have the surgery and go home within a day or so…maybe even still make the trip along with Serena, Nate and Chuck. Instead she'd ended up with an infection and holed up in that stupid hospital room for days on end.

Her father had cut his business trip short to come be with her, while Eleanor called that second day after she was admitted, admonishing for not saying something sooner. B hadn't minded the reprimand; for once her mother seemed anything but distracted by work and her friends. Mostly work, though. Unlike her father, the woman didn't return to New York until days after Blair was back home, convalescing per Dorota's no-nonsense orders. Blair feeling guilty about making her worry before didn't complain overmuch at all the coddling…or the damn soup.

Serena had ended up going with the Archibalds without her best friend, and Chuck…Chuck had given some excuse or another why he couldn't go either. He'd stayed with her then, too. "You didn't go with them." She said now, her eyes narrowed and tone lightly accusing, "You told me that you got caught smoking and Bart grounded you."

He cocked an eyebrow. Despite his many sins even starting when they'd been that young, it never seemed that his father took notice…and if he did then it was a rare occasion when he took steps to rectify any and all of Chuck's "unbecoming behavior."

With Lily who knew where, Anne Archibald hadn't wanted to leave Serena and Eric behind…even if they'd be at the apartment with Dorota. So her best friend had gone. Granted they'd talked throughout the day on the telephone and would've stayed up all night doing the same if the stupid hospital switchboard didn't cut off her room phone at 8pm on the dot…every single night. She'd charmed, complained, and threatened but nothing had won her way on this. Dorota and Chuck came to visit her everyday. She and Chuck joked, watched movies, and played with the chessboard he'd come toting in that third day, challenging her to a war of the minds.

They'd both lost and won, finding equal ground with one another, both coming out with their share of "spoils" and favors. He'd kept his word when he lost, wearing nothing but purple for that entire next week. And he'd actually seemed to like it…go figure. Blair had done her part when she'd lost, sitting through not one but all three of the Godfather movies back-to-back, pretending to be grossed out and bored but loving every scintillating, violently bloody moment. Well except for the horse…she shuddered now the image in her head. Despite that she'd had a good time. With Chuck Bass. All that she was missing with Nate and Serena completely forgotten.

Sure she spoke with her best friend and boyfriend on the phone but they always seemed about to go off and for fun at the beach or ice cream and she was stuck in that stupid hospital room. Chuck made things better. He wasn't able to smuggle ice cream to her hospital room, but he'd done something that had meant far more to her ten-year-old self. Once she admitted to him how truly horrible and lonely the nights in the cool, unfamiliar place truly was and again he'd stayed. He'd hidden once visiting hours were over and the night nurse peeked in to check on her. He'd stuck around and they'd sat through the last period of a Rangers game and more than half of _My Fair Lady _before the nurse came back and found him still there.

"Thank you, Chuck." She told him now, for all those years ago. Their friendship before thing became so murky and complicated with feelings that they weren't supposed to feel for one another. For the attraction that they'd both had sort of an unspoken agreement never…ever to acknowledge. At least not until just onenight…that _first_ night, turned everything on its ear. All of their good intentions and her good sense.

Get involved with Chuck Bass? As if. If someone had even hinted at what she and Chuck were to become, she'd have had the troubled fool carted straightaway to the Ostroff Center for immediate treatment and intensive therapy. _Intensive. _

It all changed the night he looked at her. Really looked at her up on that stage and she felt sexy. And beautiful. That in itself had been a high…one beyond belief. It wasn't until much later that she'd realized just what kind of trouble they'd gotten themselves into. Things got real. Painful.

Shaking off thoughts of things past she forced her attention back to what he was saying. "…after you and the girls blow through that massive itinerary."

She looked at him blankly as he waited…the fallen silence full of expectation. He frowned, studying her when she didn't say anything, for once appearing to be at a lost. "You okay?"

"Don't look so worried." Blair told him. "I'm fine. Now what's this about Kat and Evie's list?" She turned her head, looking to the bedside table where they'd left the list she and the girls had compiled. She reached for it, smiling a little as she read it through. They'd had Chuck playing secretary, his familiar handwriting scrawling across the page, marred by words crossed out and rewritten only to be crossed out again as she and the twins flitted from one thing to another. Assuring him that they'd made up their changeable minds until he'd had enough. Of course the minute that she and girls turned on him, their eyes wide, pleading innocence and their way, his feigned impatience was gone as if it'd never been.

"You've got your list with the girls but I was wondering if there was anything else you had in mind for your first day out of this place." He said. "Granted, it's going to be a few weeks before we can get you home. Harold and I are going to speak with your doctors tomorrow…maybe try to get you moved back to your room at the private hospital where you've been. Everyone there is familiar with your case and the girls know it….the place is a hospital but not like here." Chuck said.

Blair tried to listen attentively but her mind circled around and around the word "home." She was dying for and dreading that particular talk. When the physical rehab was over and done with, what then? Did she just go back to live in her old bedroom with her mother and Cyrus down the hall? Would she move in with her daughters and their father and just have an insta-family? How would things work out if she didn't move in with Chuck? There were big questions like custody and what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

Before, she'd had her sights set on Yale pre-law even with the twins in tow. She'd wanted it. Now there was nothing in place for her. Only questions of "what now".

The future yawned open and terrifying. What did she want? She looked at the boy she'd known. The man he'd become. She wanted him. She wanted home with him.

His cell phone vibrated filling the silence as she left him waiting again. He offered a quick apology before reaching for it and cursing. "B, I need to take this one."

"It's okay." She told him, she waved a dismissive hand.

"I'll be right back. In the meantime, I want you thinking about my question. Anything you want to do that first night. Anything at all."

"I'm going to hold you to that." A smirk started but fell away as headed not for the bathroom but started leaving the room. "What do you think I'm going to indulge in a little corporate espionage? You don't have to leave the room. I promise. I won't leak any trade secrets."

"I'll be just outside the door." He promised bringing the phone to his ear. "Chuck Bass."

"Seriously, not like you'd be disturbing me, either. I'm wide awake." Blair muttered sourly to the empty room as he'd already shut the door behind him. Through the slender panel of glass she watched as Chuck listened intently, his expression darkening. He didn't look worried now. He looked highly pissed off. Giving her excuse to further put off any thoughts beyond the immediate future and "what now." Instead she pretended she could read lips…more than once though she could've sworn that he said her name…no wait. That was her name.

Why would Chuck be discussing her when he was supposed to be talking business? Why even lie at all?

~ஐ~

Serena was seriously considering the idea of calling her mother or Eric and watch the kids while she headed over to the hospital long enough to wring Chuck's neck. First he'd sent her that stupid text that barely told her anything at all. And then he wouldn't answer his damn phone. Unbelievable.

She'd been worried out of her mind over the past few hours and all she got was a quickly typed message. And Nate. She'd couldn't even get him. He probably had orders from Chuck not to take her calls. What the hell were those two hiding? And the brief text had merely said that "her boyfriend" had been tracked down. _Her boyfriend_. Chuck had grown up a lot since the twins were born but on rare occasions he reminded her too much of how he'd been back in high school. Before Blair. Concerned only with what served his purposes, uncaring of who got hurt in the bargain.

They'd said that Dan had been found who knew in what state. Last she'd heard, Nate had been calling hospitals and morgues. Then finally her stupid phone alerted her to some new tidbit. A call from her brother and old friend to tell her that she'd been worrying over nothing? No, that was asking too much.

Fuming, she snatched up her cell again. Instead of trying her stubborn ass of a brother, she decided to try Nate just one more time. And her call went straight to his voice mail after the third ring. "Oh. Oh. Okay. You guys want to do it that way. That's fine." She dialed a different number.

"Serena?" The sleepy, disgruntled voice greeted her. Well, at least someone seemed to be taking her calls today. Though he didn't sound very pleased to hear from her. Granted it was late. _Really _late.

"Thank God. I need you." She said, "You need to get here like now."

He was quiet. "Um, you do know what time it is, don't you? And who you're talking to…are you drunk again. A little too much holiday cheer."

"Now is not the time to mess with me, Eric. Tell your boyfriend that your sister is having an emergency and get your butt over here."

"What's wrong?" He demanded, his voice devoid of sleep as worry suddenly took hold.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Everything. I'm sorry. I just need to take care of something. Do you think that maybe you could come over and hang around the apartment. I've got all the kids with me. _Chuck _stayed at the hospital with Blair."

Eric sighed, it was long-suffering and all too familiar. No way could he take Chuck's side this time around. She didn't care how much Eric idolized their stepbrother. Chuck was beyond wrong this time. He knew she'd been worried out of her mind. Both he and Nate knew it. They lied to her, promising that nothing was wrong and then avoided her calls.

"Eric. Please just get here and I'll try to explain."

He was quiet and then she heard him murmuring in the background. "Let me get dressed. I'll be there in 10." Eric finally said.

"Thanks, Eric."

"You owe me. Favor #257." Eric said, "I don't want any bullshit excuses when I call you on them. See you soon."

Serena hung up feeling only slightly better. She was still unbelievably pissed at Chuck and Nate…and Dan too for that matter. The three of them were up to no good and she was going to damn well find out all that entailed.

~ஐ~

After almost an hour waiting for someone to see Dan and dodging Serena's calls, Nate slipped away from his estranged wife and her best friend. The hotel had finally called him back with news on Dan's missing rental. His voice calm, though that was the very last thing that Nate was feeling, he quickly reassured the panicking hotel employee that Dan was alive and well, despite the state the car had been found in. He got off as quickly as he could, warning the man not to let anyone into Mr. Humphrey's hotel room until he could get there.

Fuck. He hit speed dial for his best friend. Chuck picked up almost immediately, practically growling into the phone. "What?"

Brows scrunched in confusion, Nate was dumbstruck, forgetting for a moment why he was even calling. What the hell was up with Chuck? "It's me. Are you okay?"

His best friend was quiet for a beat and Nate could hear him taking a steadying breath. What the hell was going on? When next he spoke, Chuck still sounded upset, but not the ramped up fury that'd given Nate pause. "Oh just sunshine and effing rainbows, Nathaniel." He spat and then cursed fluently. Chuck took another breath before apologizing. "Damn. I'm sorry. Shit."

"What's wrong? Did something happen with Blair?"

"No…yes. Not exactly."

Nate sighed, "Now, I'm worried."

"I just go the call from one of my guys. I've got him out looking for McCarty."

"Wait. That doctor you hired? What the hell are you looking for him for? Do you think he's behind the fires?" Nate frowned, confused as to what McCarty had to do with anything. Chuck had been desperate when nothing seemed available to help bring Blair back to them…he'd been willing to pay anything, do just about…anything. Shit….Shit. He and Serena knew about Chuck's foray into alternative medicine and research projects, but he'd thought that Chuck had written that quake McCarty off months ago. After the man had tried talking Chuck into giving Blair the drug he'd been working on…side effects and all. Now she was awake…her sudden recovery a miracle. Or something else. Son-of –a-bitch.

"Chuck…you didn't. Tell me you didn't." Nate said. His best friend had been livid when the fucking doctor had pushed to try the experimental drug on Blair. He hadn't been willing to take any chances of what the damn stuff would do to her. Had something changed so drastically? Before he would've never even had needed to ask for his friend's reassurance but nothing else seemed to be making sense these days.

"Of course not, Nathaniel."

Thank god. He sighed out his relief. "Well, glad to hear that." Nate said. "Wait. You're looking for him, though. Why? You think he still managed to get the meds to her somehow?"

"I don't know." Chuck said, sounding more tired than angry now. He sounded utterly exhausted. Just the way Nate felt when he thought of Vanessa, the miscarriages, her attitude over the past few months and now the affair. It was just too damn much. "If there's the possibility that she was given something to bring her back…I want to know. I need to know so that we can get her checked out…be made aware of all of the possibilities and ramifications. I just got her back, man. That heart attack scared the ever living fuck out of me. We just go her back and I won't let Kat and Evie go another day with their mother…not when I can help it."

"What the hell are you going to do?"

"I just want to talk to him. Have him inform her doctors of any information they need. That's all." Chuck said, "I actually really want to kill the effer, but I'll settle taking his files. For now. My people tracked him from Sydney to another lab in Ontario but the trail's days old and who knows where he might be now."

"Sorry, man." Nate said.

"Don't worry about it. _I'm_ sorry. Didn't mean to bite your head off earlier?" Chuck said, "How's Humphrey?"

"He's with the doctor now getting checked out." Nate said, "Listen. I just got the call from his hotel. They found his rental car. In the Bronx. Damn thing had been torched all to hell, hours ago. The hotel just now received notification and called me back." He was quiet before adding, " They mentioned me and Dan to the arson detective."

"Fuck." His friend said, "Just gets better and better."

I'm heading over to the hotel now." Nate said, "Miller and my Lieu will have my ass if they knew I'd given Dan those files or that we were working under the radar like this."

"Getting you in trouble is the last thing I wanted." Chuck said, "I just wanted to protect what was left of my father's memory. He could be a real bastard…most of the time, but he worked hard…he's the reason I have this legacy and name to pass on to the girls."

"I know, man. I know." He nodded, understanding. Thinking of the Captain. Chuck had been there for him even when they hadn't been on the best of terms. First at his parents' wedding and then when the Captain had come back. "They won't get anything from me. Not until you're ready. But I need those files. Without them…I'm just an old friend of Dan's worried when he didn't show up where he should've been. And the mugging story stands."

"Thank you."

"I've got your back." Nate smiled, feeling a new burst of adrenaline shot through him. Reviving him. "I'd better go. The guy told me that the detectives were heading over to check out Dan's room. I'll call you when it's done."

The two old friends disconnected with that. Instead of moving for the door so that he could get to hotel as quickly as possible, Nate's feet carried him back in the direction of the exam area. Where he'd left Dan and Vanessa. He was halfway there and about to head turn for the nearest exit when his wife rounded the corner. Her uncertain eyes landing on his face. Her worry for Dan clear in her expression and the remorse that he didn't want to see was there, as well.

"They're taking him up for a head CT." She told him, motioning back from the direction she'd come.

He nodded. Hands shoved in his pockets. Eyes watching her as she moved closer to him.

"He's still awake. Just kinda of out of it, you know? But the doctors want to take a look anyway and they said something about frostbite…he'll be okay, though. He'll be okay." She said, her words more for herself than the man staring at her as he would a stranger. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the blur of tears that she didn't need him seeing. Wrapping her arms about her middle, Vanessa looked away from the man she'd married. "Sorry. Give me a minute, would you?"

Nate's heart pulled as she looked away, her dark eyes wet and lost. He wasn't sure which of them was more surprised as he moved forward and pulled her against him. Wrapping her close, just for a moment. Just a minute, he told his rebelling mind, as it replayed all of her sins. He stood there just holding her until self-preservation kicked in and reminded him of the hurt she'd caused and the fact that his best friend was counting on him.

"I need to go." He said, his chin buried against her dark hair.

She pulled back slowly, watching him with confused eyes. "What?"

"I've got an emergency and just wanted to let you…Dan know that I needed to take off for a bit. I'll be back to check on him, though." Nate dropped his arms away from her and step back. Once. Twice.

She nodded. "Yea. Okay."

Denying himself one last lingering look at his wife, Nate walked away. Needing to get away.

"Nate." She stopped him.

He didn't turn. Didn't speak. Only stood there, unmoving. Waiting.

"Be careful."

Still he didn't say a word, only giving her a jerky nod before going on his way. Putting thoughts of her at the back of his mind, as he'd done since finding out about her and her lover. Turning to thoughts of the investigation and Dan's possible lead. The hotel. He needed to get to the hotel before the detectives beat him there.

~ஐ~

True to his word, Eric arrived quickly, questions in his eyes and was only slightly miffed at being brushed off with promises of explanations to come. She did stop long enough to warn him about calling Chuck to their stepbrother know that she was coming for him.

Serena had had it with both Nate and Chuck. She damn well wanted answers and they were going to give them to her, whether they liked it or not. And once she saw that Dan was okay with her own eyes, she intended to give him a piece of her mind, as well.

What the hell was it with the men in her life? They were all turning out to be deceiving jerks. She was pissed and she was scared.

Probably why Eric hadn't made more then even the briefest of attempts at badgering answers from _her _once he saw the look on her face. The doorman greeted her politely as usual but didn't comment on the hour or ask her about her day as he would usually have done so. Even the cabbie on the ride over was beyond quiet, turning off the loud music he'd been playing when she complained. She felt bad for letting her bad mood backlash onto innocent parties but thought of Carter, Nate, Dan, and Chuck and just became even more pissed off.

So consumed with what she wanted to say to her stepbrother, Serena was barely aware of the carbide whizzed by. Soon enough she was handing over her fare and rushing into the hospital. Shoulders squared. She stabbed at the elevator call button. She'd get him out of Blair's room and then she'd let him have it.

"Serena?"

She glanced around, staring blankly at the dark-haired woman standing at her side.

Vanessa smiled, "Nate called you about Dan. The doctors just took him…."

Serena stared at her. Vaguely aware of her words. Dan. He was there. He was with the doctors. They hadn't told her. No one had called and told her anything. Just like that all of the night's frustrations boiled over. Her mother's innocent words. Her last telephone conversation with Carter. And though she was pissed at him, the look on Nate's face the past few days. Her open hand swung out and flesh met flesh…nerve-endings stinging and burning as the loud sound resounded through the mostly empty corridor. A nurse looked up from the chart she'd been reviewing, taking in the scene with sudden interest.

"Serena, what the hell?" Vanessa brought a hand to her burning cheek.

The blonde felt illicit satisfaction at the red mark left by her hand. Bitch. That bitch. What'd she mean 'what the hell.' "Don't try to play me, Vanessa."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know." Serena informed her, finding a most welcome source to unload all of her fury. "I know."

They both stood there breathing hard, chests heaving. Vanessa's hand still covering her cheek as those two words sank in. What they meant. What the blonde knew. The anger seeming to vibrate off of Serena. Serena knew the truth.

~ஐ~

Nate flashed his badge. "Are you Williams? We spoke earlier on the phone about my friend Dan."

"Yes, yes." The older man glanced at Nate's badge. "Mr. Humprhey's friend. Glad to finally meet you. You said that he is in hospital."

"Yes, I just left him there. He was mugged earlier tonight and the bastards took the car." Nate told him.

"Oh, I'm most sorry to hear that." Williams said, looking sufficiently mournful. "I do hope that he'll be okay."

"The doctor's are thinking it's a concussion." Nate said, "He did ask me to stop by and pack up a few of his things. They stole his room key though…so." He waited expectantly.

"Of course. I'll take you up myself." Williams said after a moment, glancing again at the badge still in Nate's hand. He opened a drawer and coded a new cardkey for Dan's room.

Nate forced himself to relax. Not appearing as if he were in any rush. He wanted to be out of there before the detectives arrived. He'd find some way to distract Williams long enough so that he could get the files out of sight. Send him looking for Dan's shaving kit maybe while he packed up Dan's overnight bag. Soon enough they were outside of the hotel room and Williams let them in. Neither man moved. Surveying the carnage that'd taken place on the other side of the door. Williams moved before Nate but he stopped the older man from going inside.

"No. Stay here." Nate order, "Can't have you touching anything."

"The detectives….I should call them."

Nate latched on to that. "Yeah, you do that. Call them. I'll secure the scene while you do that. I don't want anyone in here…not until the detectives and backup arrives."

The older man nodded quickly and then dashed off, with one last look around the wrecked hotel room. Television busted. Picture frames hanging lopsided on the walls. The mattress even hung off to the side.

After Williams disappeared down the hall, Nate secured the door. Then, methodically went over every inch of the room, gun drawn and gripped securely in his hands. He stepped over the smashed pieces of what had once been Dan's laptop…the harddrive sleeve gaping and empty. He found no remaining sigh of the intruder. Unfortunately he also found not a trace of the case files that he'd left with Dan.

"Shit!" Nate foot shot out and he kicked at the already destroyed laptop. He grabbed his phone.

Chuck didn't answer immediately, and his voice was hushed as he answered, "Nathaniel."

"Chuck. We've got a problem. A big fucking problem."

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** So sorry wanted to post this earlier but then the ep came on and got caught up but here it is now…..So the Serena knows the truth..what oh what will she do with it. Poor abused Dan, boy can't catch a break. NV's hurting. B wants home…she wants Chuck but what is he hiding from her. Just when things are looking up for our intrepid trio and their investigation…things get straight effed up now don't they. I will update as soon as possible. As always let me know what you're thinking. Nothing but love guys.

Courtneyஐ


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Wow can't believe that Feb is just about over and it's been so so long since I've been able to get a new chapter up for you guys. No excuses to be made besides technical difficulties galore and wayyy too much homework and work period…Yea so beyond that I have absolutely no excuse and should be locked in my room (with a certain someone whom we all know and adore ;) ) Alas the story wants its way and I have so much more coming up for guys. So no more long stretches of silence from my end. Things are definitely picking up for C/B and company in this story and I think you'll enjoy it…so I'll just shut up and let you get to reading the newest chapter. As always thanks so much for the reviews from the last chapter…your words and thoughts mean a lot to me. I'm still loving it and wish work and school wasn't an issue so that I could spend my days daydreaming CB (wait do that anywell) er well hammering out this story…which is also always in my head. Shutting up now ;). Love you guys. Much love to my girls and big kiss to my Wifey.

Also, extra special thanks to Nes for the last minute assist...really really wouldn't have been able to get this up without you ;)

* * *

**Chapter 15**ஐ

"How?" Vanessa asked.

How? She wanted to know how. No apologies. No denials. Well that was something at least. Carter had lied through his teeth for a good five minutes before he'd finally admitted to screwing Nate's wife. Serena had called him the minute she'd gotten home with the kids. All three still knocked out and her mother's words playing a loop in her brain.

Earlier when she'd first arrived at his apartment, he'd welcomed her at the door with his shirt still hanging open and half-empty wine glasses sitting on the coffee table. He'd had that look in his eyes that she recognized all too well, as if he'd just gotten off and wanted more. She didn't need to see the rumpled sheets on his bed to know just why he wore such a satisfied smile and his hair stuck out on every end. He'd been _busy_ with his company whoever she was while their son fought sleep and Serena.

She'd rolled her eyes as he murmured words of glib flirtation and told him to just hand over Alex's bear so that he could get back to his "guest." Only his guest was long gone.

"Sorry, I'd introduce you but you just missed her." He'd said. "But if you'd like to keep me company that'd work just as well. Seeing as how she'd still be here if you hadn't called. Ruining my evening and all."

She hadn't even dignified his words with a response or given a second thought to the identity of his lover. The woman she'd just missed out on having a possibly awkward conversation with. Didn't think about Carter's words again until returning to her mother who still held a sleepy Alex. Her little boy, bleary-eyed and restless had quieted down by time she'd come back to the limo.

Alex'd reached for the bear, snagging it from Serena's grasp without a word in Serena's hands without a word and curled against his grandmother's chest.

"And thank god for that." Lily had smiled, "You're going to have to get Robbie a twin, darling. That was just pure torture for both you and Alex. One he can keep at Carter's and another for your apartment."

Serena had nodded. Head lolling against the headrest and eyes shut as she'd enjoyed the blissful silence in the limo. Her mother's words fell like a bomb into that moment…obliterating everything.

"What was Vanessa doing here? I could sworn she said something about making plans with her family." Her mother had asked, humming to her sleepy grandson with one arm around his bear and his free hand tangling in her hair. His small hand clenching and unclenching as his light eyes, drooped further and further with each passing second.

At first her mother's words didn't reach beyond the layer of exhaustion and the chaos of the day, but then they'd sunk, making everything snap into place.a moment for a mother's words to sink in and then everything else had snapped into place. Dan forgotten for once as the pieces all came together, making a horrible kind of sense. Vanessa and Carter. Damn them both. She'd spent the entire night wanting to hit them both. Seeing Vanessa now…she didn't regret slapping the other woman.

"Serena, how did you find out….did Carter…"Vanessa stopped looking away, tears spilling from her dark eyes. She dropped her hands away as if willing Serena to have another go at her.

"No. Carter didn't say a word. Crazy but I think he was protecting you." Serena said, "Does Nate know it's Carter?"

Vanessa turned on her with narrowed eyes, brushing furiously at her tear-stained cheeks. "Of course not. You can't tell him."

"Actually, I could, but I think that it would be much better coming from you." Serena told her, not bothering to hide the loathing in her eyes.

"Serena, please."

She felt the bite of remorse and started to relent but couldn't back down. Not when it came to Nate. He needed to know the truth. "I'll do it if you can't."

"You don't get it. This is my marriage you're talking about with…and don't get holier than thou with me, Van der Woodsen. You're not lily-white innocent. I know you've slept with married men before. Evan Peterson. Jerry Gibson. And those where the ones after Alex was born, right?"

"I didn't know Evan was married until it was too late and Jerry's divorce has been finalized for months. And for the record we're not talking about who I happen to be sleeping with…we're talking about you." Serena said.

"Back off, Serena. I swear to god."

"What are you going to do? I'm not backing off. I'll give you time to do it, but you're telling Nate the whole truth and that's it. You should've thought about your marriage before you went to bed with someone else."

The dark-haired woman backed away, hands fallen at her side. Her expression despairing. "I'll…Don't…" She cleared her throat, nodding jerkily. "You're right. He has to know. Just give me some time. Okay? Please."

Serena was quiet. She nodded after a moment, ducking her own head. Dammit she didn't want to know this. She didn't want to be a part of the reason why Nate got hurt again. But he had to know. Secrets like this had a tendency of coming out at the worse possible time. Vanessa would be doing herself and everyone else a favor if she got things out into the open now. "Fine. I won't say anything but you're going to tell him, Vanessa. The sooner the better." Serena reached in her bag and pulled out the container of Kleenex that she kept handy for Alex.

"Right." She sniffed, taking the blonde's offering and dabbing at her nose. "Thanks. Listen. I need to get out of here. Could you stay…I mean wait here with Dan. I know he'll want to see you when he comes back from getting the CT."

"Vanessa, wait." Serena called out as the other woman started to walk away. "What exactly happened to Dan…no one's really given me all the details."

"He got mugged. His attacker clocked him good and took all of his stuff…wallet. Cell phone. They even took his coat and shoes."

"Really?"

"Yeah, crazy, right?" Vanessa told her. "Anyway, he made it back to the brownstone and he's lucky if he doesn't came away from this with pneumonia. Just wait with him would you…he hasn't had the best of nights and then he put up with me and Nate earlier…don't ask."

"I'll stay."

"Thanks." Vanessa said and started to turn away. "Serena. I'm just really. Really sorry."

"I know. But I'm not the one that you should be apologizing to…am I?" Serena reminded.

"I don't think he's ready to hear it."

"Well, tell him again and keep saying it until he's ready." The brunette nodded at her words and turned without speaking again, leaving Serena standing there. The nurse watching their byplay glance away as Serena looked over. The blonde looked heavenward and walked over to the woman. Great. "Hi, I'm Serena Van der Woodsen. My friend was brought in a little while ago. Dan Humphrey…I was told that he was getting a head CT."

The nurse glanced through her files and then nodded. "He is. You'll have to wait down the hall until the doctor finishes up with him and then I'm sure the doctor will tell your 'friend' that you're here." The woman looked her over speculatively, probably figuring that Serena and Vanessa's "fight" had been over Dan. Nope she was more than six years late on that one.

"Thank you." Serena started down the hall, her heels clicking against tile. Once she reached the waiting room she pulled out her cell phone. Still no returned calls from either Chuck or Nate. Jerks. She fired off a quick text to them both, letting them know that she was downstairs waiting for Dan but she'd by no means forgotten or forgiven the hell they'd put her through. She didn't let them know that…only that she wanted to speak with the both in the morning…

God, but she was getting sick of hospitals. She wondered if it was a little cosmic payback for being such a bad friend and not visiting her bestie for weeks before she finally woke up. Well, okay once. _One _in a matter of weeks. Now it seemed as if everyone she knew was ending up on their backs in someone's ward. Jenny…Blair and now Dan. Enough already. More than enough.

~ஐ~

Despite his earlier intentions, Nate ended up waiting around for the detectives. He and Chuck figured that he was better off sticking around and playing up the story of being an old friend, stopping by to grab some things that Dan wanted for his night in the ER. Nate would've been long gone if not for the fact that Williams had given the detectives his damn name and would end up telling the detectives just how Nate had talked his way into Dan's hotel room. And Nate needed a damn good reason for doing that that didn't result in him admitting to handing police property over to a damn reporter.

So there he was, with the detectives, feeding them the story that he and Chuck had settled on. They'd make sure that Dan backed up every bit of it when pressed. He waited with them as they waited for the crime scene guys to arrive to take prints but who knew what they'd pick…problem nothing with the amount of traffic the hotel room saw on a weekly basis. Everything from an endless stream of guests and hotel staff whose fingerprints would be all over the place. Still crime scene investigators arrived dusting for prints and bagging everything they could.

Nate was asked to run through his story just once. After that he was free to leave but figured he was better off hanging around…on the very unlikely chance that they stumbled across something that he'd missed, he'd wanted to be there. That and he didn't really want to head back to the hospital. To do what? Sit there and avoid looking…talking to the woman he'd married. No thank you. He'd take the room full of guys, bitching about the late hour and the bullshit they'd put up with after spending the day with their in-laws.

Time seemed to dragged on as the techs worked slowly, not wanting to miss anything. He went back and forth, mentally battling the nagging urge to head back over to the hospital, but that last text from Serena pretty much put the brakes on any attacks of conscious or sudden urges to forget good sense. It was one thing to spend the rest of the night or morning rather expending excess energy into_ not _talking to Vanessa, but Serena on a rampage being thrown into the mix…no thank you. He'd leave that task for Chuck.

Almost two hours after he'd arrived at the hotel, Nate left with no more answers than he'd arrived with. He didn't bother calling Chuck again. His friend hadn't wanted anymore late night calls, saying he thought Blair seemed distracted and upset enough without him taking off for a dark corner every twenty minutes. And he wondered how Dan was faring but he figured that he'd have to go through Serena or Vanessa. Instead for the few hours before dawn, Nate dragged his sorry self back to the Bass apartment, feeling already half asleep before he even set foot off the elevator.

The place felt entirely too empty. Far quieter than if any of the Basses had been home at the moment. Granted his goddaughters would've been in bed long ago but the place still felt…less. He was going to miss it, but Nate was pretty sure that Chuck would want a little space for his family when they brought Blair home.

Going back the Brownstone was out of the question and no way was he moving back in with his mother. Serena would probably put him up for a while….then again she might not be talking to him after tonight. 1812, it was to be, then. That place used to be a haven of sorts…it could be again. His marriage was over.

Nate rolled over trying to get comfortable, sleeping coming on the heels of that definitive thought. Somehow offering him a calm, a peace that he hadn't felt in days. They were through, a voice whispered in his head and then he thought nothing at all as his exhaustion took him in and obliterated all else.

~ஐ~

Morning dawned in the UES…the former royal four of Constance and St. Jude's slept on. Curled in dreamless worlds or those filled with images of what-could-have-been. Babies and Birthdays. First breath and lists of babynames unused. Dead fathers. Broken promises.

For once, ringers turned silent and doors left undisturbed the UESers slept on…as dawn brought to them an whole new set of circumstances and decisions to be made…offering possibilities that hadn't been fathomed, hoped for or dreaded when they awoke in their collective beds the previous morning.

No this morning they slept on. Recovering from the draining events of day's past. Morning arrived with Serena squirming in her sleep, trying to get comfortable in the chair she'd pulled up at Dan's bedside, some hours before. Only a few floors away the newly reunited King and Queen of the UES, lay intertwined in sleep, dreams, and one another. Neither noticed when the dark-haired woman came to stand outside of Blair's door, peering inside at the private picture that they made, her smile calculating and cell phone in hand.

"Make it good." She said simply, and the hurried on about her way as a gaggle of doctors rounded the corner. She ducked her head and started to turn back when she noticed Blair's parents taking up the rear. Guess the lovebirds were about to get their wakeup call…poo she'd wanted to do it. Oh, well.

Not too far away, Nate received quite a different wake-up call than the one his two friends were getting at that very moment. He didn't budge at the first quiet knock. Or even the second.

"Mr. Nate." The bedroom door inched open. Dorota had learned, years before never to burst into a room in the Bass household or let her charges hear her coming. With the twins, she needed to employ stealth or else she wouldn't know what new havoc they were brewing until it was too late for anything more than damage control. She hadn't been sure what to expect from Mr. Chuck when she'd first moved in. He'd finally moved into his own place with the twins after Evie and Kat's first birthday and Dorota had gone with them.

She hadn't known what to expect. Mr. Chuck walking around in his birthday suit. Nope, never happened. The man owned silk pajamas in every color known to man. Not that she was complaining. Mr. Chuck was good papa. He never stay out at all hours or bring strange women home. At first she knew that he'd indulged, spending nights away whenever the twisns slept overnight at the old Van der Bass apartment or with their Aunt Serena, but those times had trickled away. Like Miss Lily, Dorota had worried for her employer. He missed their girl as much as she did. More. So much more, but now her Miss Blair was awake and everything would be okay. Her charges, the twins and the unruly parents would be just fine.

Now Dorota found herself worrying for Mr. Nate. She poked her head inside, eyes focused on the painting across from the bed. "Mr. Nate."

"Hmm." The thing under the sheets grumbled but didn't stir into full wakefulness.

She tried again but received the same response. Resigned, Dorota kept her eyes focused on that painting and reached out blindly as she moved towards the bed and shook him away. He woke up with that same befuddled that used to worry Dorota all those years ago, before Miss Blair began spending so much time with Chuck Bass. At first she hadn't been sure about that development but then she saw how Mr. Chuck make her little girl smile.

The man in front of her now had grown up, but still he hadn't been the one for her Miss Blair. She tried to imagine him as papa to Kat and Evie. Those girls loved their Uncle Nate but were very much like their mama in how much their adored their papa. They were Daddy's girls like her Miss Blair, through and through. No everything had worked out for the best. Mostly. She sobered, remembering the reason she was interrupted, Mr. Nate's much needed rest.

"Dorota? Everything okay?" Nate asked.

The maid said simply, "You have guests."

Nate looked up at her blankly for another moment. Sleep still wrapped around his mind like a thick, heavy blanket. At first his thoughts ran to Vanessa. And then Serena. He quickly discounted both. Serena would've burst in on him and let him have it for last night. His wife. What would be the point? All that needed saying had been spoken already. He suddenly remembered his last clear thought. The fact that his marriage was at its end.

Nate waited for the panic. The wrongness in those words and felt nothing. It didn't feel right. He was just damn tired.

"They insist you come down and speak with them, Mr. Nate." She told him. Dorota hurried from the room before he could throw the blankets from his legs.

Shit. Not the wake up call that he'd been expecting but the wheels in his mind began turning as he pushed himself up from the bed. He didn't follow Dorota as she left but headed for the bathroom. Taking his time as he cleaned himself up, he had a pretty good idea who would be waiting for him. He left the guess room and walked to the stairs, listening as Dorota's quiet voice echoed throughout the empty apartment.

Still no twins. No Chuck. Nate paused at the top of the stairs, watching the men below. His Lieutenant and Detective Miller. Obviously word had gotten back to them about his late night activities and Dan's "mugging." Nate knew he should be worried. Worried about the repercussions if they found out about his side investigation with Dan and Chuck. They'd wanted him to pump Chuck for as much information as he could and bring every bit of it back to Miller.

He'd been giving Miller daily reports on their progress which left out the now very definite connection between the present fires to the one that'd haunted the normally unflappable Bart Bass. As a matter of fact, his reports to Miller had been pretty damn flimsy since that hadn't known anything for certain until, Humphrey's little field trip almost ended with him dead.

Nate didn't move for a moment, watching the two men as they studied their surroundings. Miller appeared positively bored, while Lieu couldn't have looked more pissed at having to leave his bed so early the day after Christmas. Then again, the lieutenant always wore that expression. Always.

He didn't feel intimidated. He wasn't at the precinct, in their offices playing their game. They were in his world. Nate took comfort in that fact as he prepared to lie his ass off if necessary. Lie and indulge in the lingering tells that his best friend still too great joy in pointing out. He'd gotten better over the years, especially when the moment called for it and this was certainly one.

A boyish smile curving his mouth, Nate cleared his throat claiming their attention as he descended the stairs. "Lieutenant. Detective." He tipped his head in greeting, "Gentleman."

"Archibald." The Lieu retorted, his usual hard-ass expression firmly in place. "Your wife told us we'd find you here."

They'd stopped by the brownstone. Of course they had. Great. Just as much as he didn't want his personal business to become fodder and a conversational piece for his family, he didn't want the private details of his life floating around the squad room. He couldn't see the Lieu running off to share the bit of gossip but Nate didn't really know Miller all that well. Shit the last thing he wanted was for the entire station to know and then it floated back to his grandfather, so that the old man could take that as license to meddle in his life.

The last thing he wanted or needed these days. Dorota left them after they declined the offered coffee and refreshments. Nate was sure that he knew where she was headed as she stepped onto the elevator, her gaze lingering suspiciously on the other two men.

"Nice digs, Your brownstone. This place." Miller commented, his gaze sweeping the room again.

"Not mine."

"Yeah, we know." Lieu shoved his hands in his pockets, not bothering to look around again. Instead he studied Nate through narrowed eyes that never seemed to miss anything. "Where is your old friend, Bass, anyway?"

At that look, Nate worked even harder at not letting any of the cracks show. He relied on truth as much as he could. "Chuck is at St. Vincent's."

"Oh, yeah? He and Dan Humphrey as tight as that? Why don't you have a seat, Officer Archibald? Cause there seems to be quite a few things that you didn't pick up on at the academy."

"Sir, I don't know what you…"

"Plant your fucking ass, Archibald." Lieu said, "Sit your ass down and think real goddamn hard about what's important to you. Your career. Or protecting your friends and don't give me that bullshit innocent act. You disrespect me…the badge and yourself when you do it…so like I said. Sit the fuck down."

Nate forced his hands to unclench and his polite, almost submissive expression remained firmly in place. "Of course."

~ஐ~

"All these years and I never knew that you snored." Were the words that served as Serena's greeting as she straightened. Her body and cramped muscles roared in protest, retaliating for the hours that she'd spent turning and twisting herself into a knot, searching for rest in that stupid chair. She looked across Dan's slumbering form to the younger, blonde woman sitting on the other side of his hospital bed.

"Jenny."

"Hey." Dan's little sister smiled. Not her usual, full-throttle grin of innocence and sweetness that she'd somehow been able to hold on despite years in the cutthroat fashion business. Serena guessed that all that time navigating the world of "mean girl" politics at Constance had been a good thing after all. That smile was dimmer now. More strained and who could blame her, she'd lost her home and her business in one fell swoop.

Serena's eyes flickered to the white bandages covering a large portion of Jenny's right arm and her hand. "Hey, should you be down here? I thought they had you on lockdown or something."

"Not anymore. They aren't worried so much about infection anymore." Her good-natured smile fell away as she glanced down at her bandaged hand. Jenny shook her head, as if to shake off the sudden bout of melancholy and self-pity trying to sink into her with sharp teeth. Instead she glanced over at her big brother, still asleep, his face darkened, purpling with bruises in some places and the rest seemed far paler than usual. Her delicate features crumpled.

Serena was on her feet and hurrying around to the other side where Jenny sat huddled in a wheelchair. "Don't cry. Dan's going to fine. The ER doctor just wanted to keep him overnight for observation. That's all."

"I know. I know. My dad told me when he was here earlier." Jenny told her. "He got the call from Vanessa after he dropped my Mom off for her flight. She told him about the mugging."

The mugging? Of course. The boys' story seemed to be making the rounds already. She'd planned to ask him all about it, during the night, once the doctors had been done. He'd been out of it and Serena had just felt this overwhelming relief that he was okay, and she couldn't exactly interrogate him with the ER doctor lingering in the room. Of course he'd fallen asleep the moment they were a lot, further thwarting her plans. At first she'd been sure that he was faking it. But watching him, her eyes taking in the livid bruise at his temple and the already purpling of his jaw. Besides that he was still sporting the bruises from his initial run-in with Chuck.

How had they gone from trading blows and upholding their longstanding—distaste for one another to covering for one another. Working to some mysterious end that had the boys all scrambling and lying their asses off about some mugging.

"He wanted to stay until Dan woke up but then hotel needed him to collect the rest of Dan's stuff."

Serena frowned, suddenly feeling lost. "What? Why would he need to do that?"

"You don't know. Of course not, you've been here with Dan. The police think that whoever mugged, had his room key…they think maybe it was addicts or something and they went to Dan's room looking for valuables and ended up just trashing the place." Jenny told her.

No way did that sound like any mugging she'd ever heard of. They hadn't taken the money and dumped Dan's wallet but actually took the chance to go to the hotel. It just didn't up for Serena. It was past time for answers. She looked to the bruised unconscious man in front of them. "Jenny, Listen I'm going to head upstairs for a bit and look in on Blair." And corner her brother while she was at it.

The younger woman's expression brightened. "I heard she was here. Everyone was buzzing with the news that a coma patient woke up after five years…I didn't make the connection until this morning when one of the nurses mentioned her by name." She sighed, "Though they were more so talking about the dark-haired hottie who wouldn't leave her room all night. Chuck, I presume."

"That'd be the dark-haired…hottie. I guess." Serena rolled her eyes.

"Well tell them both that I said hi and I'll try to come up later."

"I will. Tell you're brother that I'll be back down to check on him. Okay?" She reached out, squeezed the young blonde's uninjured shoulder in reassurance. With that she left, determined to get some answers out of Chuck, even if she had to pull out the big guns. Namely…Blair.

~ஐ~

"We know about the files that you checked out of archives. Want to tell us what the hell that was about." Miller said, once they were all sitting down. The two older men sat across from him, eyeballing his every nuance of his movements and expression.

That in mind, He said as truthfully as he could, "I did. I wanted to look through some cold cases. I've been thinking that once I take the detectives' exam that I might ask for a transfer."

Not exactly a lie. He and Vanessa had discussed the possibility after the shooting. Then again after the first positive pregnancy test.

"So instead of helping Miller here or working on the stack of cases sitting on your desk---cases that I fucking assigned to you to, you just took it upon yourself to try something new." Lieu said. "It doesn't fucking work like that, kid. Not by a longshot. I think you're shitting me and I swear to god…I'll have your ass on obstruction of justice if I find out that you've been anything but straight with us on this."

"Listen to him good, Archibald." Miller threw in, "You've already got the taint of your father's past following your career…you try pulling a fast one and that could be it. You first and last loyalty has always gotta be to the truth. To the job. If you can't handle that, well then maybe you should just hand over your weapon and badge and save us the trouble."

Nate forced himself to hold the other man's gaze. He was quiet letting them watch as he visibly reined in the anger he was feeling, the resentment of his father's past sins never being far off. This…this was what he wanted to save his best friend from facing. The sins of the father coming back around again and again. That was the last thing that Chuck or the twins needed hanging over their heads. He cleared his throat, "I assure you both that I love being a cop like nothing else I could have imagined doing with my life. I would never…never disrespect myself or my badge by betraying any oaths I've made. Not when it comes to this job." Or his lifelong friendship, he added silently.

His lieutenant nodded, seeing something in Nate's bearing and expression that seemed to satisfy him. At least for the moment. "Fine. The minute you get something bearing on this case…you call me. You call Miller. You hear me, Archibald?" The man spoke quietly.

Nate nodded jerkily, "Of course."

"Good." Lieu turned on his heel, leaving Nate alone with Miller as he headed for the elevator.

Miller pinned him with a hard searching look. One that he would've expected from his lieutenant, not the man who'd been affable enough in the days that he'd known him. He didn't speak but tipped his head and followed the other man who waited for him.

Nate didn't realize that he'd been holding his breath until the elevator doors closed and air rushed from him. Shit. Shit. Too close. Shit.

Lieu had seemed satisfied but Miller. The detective would be watching him. Probably watching all three of them. They needed to get this done. He hoped that Dan was feeling up to a little walk down memory lane. They needed to get back to the house he'd found yesterday. Their first real lead in linking Bart's connection. He started back up the stairs to get changed so that he could head over to the hospital. He needed to talk to Chuck and Dan, so that they could figure out their next step.

~ஐ~

There was something seriously wrong with her. In the past the idea of all these people fawning over her and wanting every bit of her attention would've been just the thing, but she was just annoyed.

The stream of visitors had started shortly after her parents arrived with the doctors, breaking into the bubble that she and Chuck had isolated themselves in. Well at least when he hadn't been rushing off to answer his cell phone. In actuality that hadn't even last long. At some point after they talked into the deep December night, he'd climbed back into bed with her.

Granted she was over the moon to be awake and see faces like those of Cyrus and Roman, who'd accompanied her parents on this visit. But they were just the start of things. Old friends and business associates of her parents arrived. As did old faces from school. Apparently her 'miraculous' recovery had been featured on the local news and the society pages. Dredging up the details of her young life and managing to link back to Chuck and their girls.

Salacious bits of death, betrayal, drugs, and teenage pregnancy. Nothing sold quite scandal and the old "friends" stopping by to visit. Hazel arrived with her husband, appearing genuinely concerned and happy to see her up and awake. She offered Blair all the gossip on B's former minions. Blair couldn't believe it when Nelly and Penelope arrived, their expressions curious. They'd both been ejected from Blair's court when their attempted coup d'étate failed miserably. Blair's pregnancy had been outed and Serena had stood with her, putting down the attempt to take the crown that a large part of her had stopped caring about.

Blair didn't care anymore. She just wanted them gone. All of them. Chuck and her parents had disappeared with the doctors to discuss the next phase of her treatment. Which she couldn't get behind. If there were any discussions going on about her future the why in the hell was she being excluded.

She forced a smile for Penelope, pretending to listen as the other woman gushed about her fiancé, a French Count, Comte de Valois. Blair wasn't jealous. Not even for a moment. She was a little bored actually, despite Cyrus and Roman's best efforts to engage the other women in conversation.

Finally it was Cyrus who called a halt to the proceedings and ushered her old "friends" from the room, citing the need to keep Blair from getting overly excited, which Penelope simply loved.

"Thanks." Blair said once they were gone, breathed out in relief, flashing Cyrus a grateful smile.

"Anytime, my dear. Anytime." Her stepfather told her.

"Blair, I am going to grab some food for everyone…anything special you would like."

Ice cream. She was suddenly craving ice cream. Blair shook her head of the renewed memory that had come to her the night before. She wanted ice cream and she wanted Chuck to bring it to her. She bet that the nurses wouldn't be able to get it away from him this time. Blair shook her head at the image in her mind of Chuck as he was now, trying to smuggle the cold treat in under his overcoat. She laughed softly. "No thank you, Roman."

The dark-haired Frenchman bent to deliver a smacking kiss on her cheek. Then he was gone, leaving her with Cyrus. The little man she'd come to adore during his lightening quick courtship of her mother and their marriage. He'd tried to help her in Roman's absence when she'd told Eleanor about her pregnancy. Once she'd decided on adoption, the man had helped her find a reputable adoption attorney and the people who would raise her unborn child. He'd been understanding and all the things that she'd wanted her mother to be during that horrible time. Once she changed her mind, he'd taken her side, getting right into the middle of things—arguing with Eleanor.

He'd been the one to follow her to Lily's that night she left the Waldorf-Rose apartment for the last time, bringing the luggage that she'd started packing, not even bothering to wait for Dorota who her mother had threatened to fire if she further encouraged Blair's "jaunt into insanity." Cyrus had visited her in the hospital days later when Lily and Serena had been given orders to ensure that Blair follow the strictures of her complete bedrest. Her mother hadn't even called. She knew that the woman had probably pumped Cyrus and later Dorota who visited the Van der Bass apartment almost everyday. Still it'd hurt that she didn't even merit a phone call from her own mother.

"How are you holding up?" He asked her now.

Blair sighed, "Honestly? I'm feeling the least bit overwhelmed."

"Quite understandable, my dear." Cyrus said, sitting down beside her. He cleared his throat. "You and Chuck seemed to have passed the night quite comfortably. And Eleanor told me that you finally met the girls. Let me just say that I had the pleasure of seeing their recital and spending much of Christmas Eve with them…those girls are an absolute treat."

"They are, aren't they?" Blair smile, glancing over at the picture she'd confiscated from Chuck's wallet. She wanted more pictures. More moments with her daughters. New images and experiences to make up for what she'd missed. To get that though she needed to get out of that damn hospital bed. Where in the hell were Chuck and parents? It felt like they'd been gone forever. "Cyrus. Um, do you think that maybe you could find my…" Chuck "mother and find out what's happening."

He seemed more than happy to do just that. Rushing off, looking excited that she'd asked for her mother.

She welcomed the sudden peace and silence as she was left alone. But it was nothing like what she and Chuck had had during the night. Now it was to figure out the big question of "what now." With her rehab. The girls. Her life. And—Chuck.

~ஐ~

They'd been in Chambers' office for the better part of an hour, going over the details of Blair's treatment and her transfer back to the private hospital for Blair's rehab. The various tests had come back with nothing remarkable…making Chuck wonder more and more about McCarty's possible involvement in Blair's return.

He'd been wondering the best approach to alert Chambers, but he wasn't sure what to say. Harold had been on his side up until now but would probably take exception to the idea of his daughter being given an experimental drug. Of course Chuck hadn't given her the goddamn meds but he'd looked into it…involved Blair in McCarty's side effect ridden project.

So lost in his thoughts. Chuck was barely aware of Chambers getting to his feet. He and Harold left the room together.

Chuck frowned, "Where are they going?"

The woman at his side frowned, studying him through curious eyes. "Dr. Chambers had another patient he needed to check on and Harold had a few more questions to pester him with so he followed the man."

Well, there went his chance. He glanced at his watch and was getting to his feet. Maybe it was for the best. Chambers had said that all of Blair's tests looked good. There'd been no traces of his foreign drugs…nothing questionable in her bloodwork. The doctor hadn't asked them anything about Blair's treatment at the private hospital.

Shit. After all of the talking and planning they'd just done…maybe it wasn't such a good idea to send her back there. If McCarty's drug had somehow gotten to Blair then it would've been at that hospital and he couldn't exactly spend every waking hour there with her. He still had the girls and the company to look after. Fuck.

"Charles, I've been thinking." Eleanor said, pulling him back.

Her words sank in, bringing a wry, humorless smile to Chuck's face, "Now if that preface isn't unsettling. Please do continue. What fresh havoc had you decided to wreck?"

"Funny," Eleanor rolled her eyes, "I'm serious, Charles."

"As am I." He said, he motioned for her to continue. "Shock me."

"Fine. I've decided that I'm moving back to New York. Effective immediately."

His suspicions from Christmas Eve reared up again. Dear Eleanor always searching out the silver lining…when it came to her career. So she figured that with Blair awake that she could avoid the shitstorm that he'd rained down on her ass when their war first began.

"Now, Charles. Don't look at me like that. My exile was fine before…"

"It wasn't an exile."

"You ran me out of town." She said.

Chuck threaded his hands, "I didn't run you anywhere. You could've stayed in New York. You left your grandchildren. Your daughter to resurrect a carrier that was over and now you think that you can use Blair…use my daughters to have your way in this. Lady, don't say that I didn't warn you because…"

"It's not like that. Yes, I left. I've regretted nothing more in my life than missing these past five years watching Kat and Evie grow. And being able to spend those weeks before all of those started…being with my daughter. I didn't respect her wishes…and she moved out…she ran to Lily. Then I made matters worse and gave her baby away." Eleanor said, dabbing at the corners of her brimming eyes. "I don't want to miss anymore time with any of them. And that….that is the truth. Do what you will with it and my company?"

Chuck studied her expression a bare second before she shut down on him completely. Gathering herself and glaring at him with Blair's eyes. Damn. He didn't need this. Eleanor's questionable intentions on top of everything else.

Before Chuck could say anything, there was a knock on the door and Cyrus stuck his head in. "Chuck, hello again." His smile slipped a little and worry took it's place. "Is everything all right."

"Just fine, my darling." Eleanor was on her feet, offering him a bright smile. "I was just telling Charles what we discussed last night."

"And…" His eyes drifted to Chuck's cloudy expression.

Looking away from them both as they fell quiet. Waiting. He cleared his throat and got to his feet. "I'm sure that Blair would love it."

"Excellent." Cyrus chuckled, his face lighting up as he hugged Eleanor and then pounced on Chuck before the younger man even saw it coming. Which he totally should have. The little man had quite a grip as he squeezed, leaving Chuck to bring his dangling arms up and return the man's embrace. He avoided looking at Eleanor's smiling face.

It seemed like forever before she cleared her throat, stepping in to Chuck's rescue. "That's quite enough, sweetheart."

"Yes, of course." Her husband said, stepping away from Chuck who backed up once. Twice. Casually putting the chair between himself and Cyrus Rose. He'd forgotten how much the damn man enjoyed hugging people. Blair had not so secretly loved/hated it. Eleanor was literally smirking when he glanced her way.

"Did you enjoy your visit with Blair?" She asked her husband.

"Naturally. Though she was getting a wee restless towards the end. She wanted to see you…and as for you, young man. I passed your sister on the way here. She seemed to be looking for you."

Of course she was. Great. Just Effing great.

"I told her that you all were meeting with Blair's doctor." Cyrus told him, "Guess she went to keep Blair company in the meantime."

Panic. That's what he felt. Serena didn't know anything but she had endless questions and the last thing Chuck wanted was for her was get B asking those same fucking questions. Just great. Calmly, he said "Well, I guess we'd better head back then and check on Blair and my dear sister."

Eleanor nodded and the threesome trooped from the room. Chuck did his best to keep pace with the other two and not hurry or run. Serena didn't know anything. Not unless Humphrey had broken. Fuck he didn't want Blair involved. Not in this. He trusted her with everything he was but he couldn't bear for his father's old secrets to get out. Not yet. And the fires. She had enough to worry about without wondering what or who closest to him, the arsonist would try targeting next. Serena. Damn it. Not a word. Not one effing word, sis, but he worried that he was too late in his silent demand.

**TBC**ஐ

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**A/N:** I've got the next one coming to you guys this weekend. The rest of this story can't wait to be told and I'm superexcited. Hope you guys enjoyed this. As always let me know what you're thinking. Nothing but love guys.

Courtneyஐ


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Okay…I'm hoping the storm they're predicting actually happens so I can get more writing in tomorrow instead of stupid work…God but I can still be such a kid :D. Anyways. Weekend's just about out and didn't want to let it go without updating for you guys. Thanks as always for all the words and thoughts…they're always welcome. I know at times the pacing can be too too suspenseful but that's just how these things work…I'm merely the conduit for the story that wants to come out and yes this is a story of love but also danger and mystery. That being said, I'm still having a wonderful time writing about it and all of the different friendships and relationships within. Dorota is amazing isn't she and that Eleanor is a wily one to pin down…is she really there for B or finally ready to retake her career in New York? Serena knows the truth. And can't have a Chuck/Cyrus meeting without a hug…had to do. Had to ;). So here's the next chapter. Again your words and thoughts always mean a lot to me. Love you guys. Much love to my girls and big kiss to my Wifey, you're amazing bb and you so know that which of you speak…don't decipher just go with it. Read on people ;)

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ஐ**Chapter 16**

Blair rolled her eyes as she found herself having to repeat herself for the third time in as many minutes. Now her best friend was off in the land of la once again, her brow puckered and the heavy burden of her thoughts clearly evident in her eyes. Blair snapped her fingers in front of those sightless, blue eyes trying to tempt them back into awareness. "Ok, enough. Spill."

"What?" The blonde blinked up at Blair, her expression losing that faraway look.

"You seem really distracted or something. Are you okay?" Blair demanded, sitting up straighter in her hospital bed.

"I'm fine. I'm good."

She studied the other woman through narrowed eyes. "You're lying. You've barely said two words since you came in here to 'visit with me'. And you look like hell."

"Gee. Thanks, B." Serena rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself.

"Sorry, sweetie. Now stop trying to distract me." Blair's expression softened and her eyes shone with concern.

"Fine. You caught me. I'm just tired I guess. I didn't exactly have the best night's sleep."

"Did the kids give you trouble getting them to bed?" Blair wondered, feeling pangs of envy that S had gotten a chance…countless chances to settle the girls for the night, while Blair wondered at even the simplest of their nighttime habits.

"No. Angels as usual. Though, Alex threw a fit when he didn't have his Robbie and that jerk Carter…" Serena held up her hand, shaking her head.

"Okay…his what and the wh…"

"Long story. Don't ask. Suffice it to say that Carter isn't exactly in the running for 'Father of the Year'."

"I'll bet. So the kids weren't running you through the night…what or" Blair smiled suddenly as a new thought emerged. "who was?"

"Blair…"

"Oh my god. You were totally with some guy. Who was it?" She made a face, more from habit than anything as one face came to mind. Humphrey. She rolled her eyes. "Nevermind. It was Brooklyn, wasn't it?"

Serena huffed out a sigh, "Yes, but it wasn't like that, B. Honestly. I was here with him."

"Here?" Dark brows arched in question.

The blonde chewed on her bottom lip, fear and worry telegraphing loud and clear from the way she held herself and the look in her eyes. For Blair, everything else was forgotten, everything beyond the need to hug her friend close and plan a proper takedown on whoever had put that expression on Serena's face. Was it Carter? She'd said something about him earlier…no what had she said about being at the hospital with Dan.

Quietly, Blair prodded for answers. "What exactly were you and Hum…Dan doing here? Did something happen?"

Serena looked away, her eyes focused on everything except Blair as she nodded. "Yeah. I guess you could say that."

Blair waited and when it seemed as if Serena wouldn't say anything else, she motioned impatiently, "Serena!"

"Dan got hurt last night."

"Oh, S. I'm really sorry." Blair said. "Why happened?"

Again her friend fell silent but just when the brunette looked ready to badger, Serena admitted, "I honestly…honestly don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know…how could you not?" Blair demanded, confused and her friend had that damn look in her eye again. Only she looked angry.

"I hate secrets, B. I hate knowing them. I hate things being kept from me…"

Finally!! A sentiment that Blair could get behind. "Great. I'm glad you feel that way because I'm getting damned tired of being left out of the loop as well. What secrets, S?" Secrets from _her? _Blair's eyes narrowed as suspicion took root.

Her best friend looked torn. What secrets were there to keep from Blair of all people? They'd been the best of friends for forever…well mostly…but throughout the breaches and cracks in their lifelong friendship they'd always been able to count on one another when it all came down to it.

"Serena, dear. Cyrus told us that you'd come." Eleanor smiled, greeting the younger woman as if they hadn't been at odds the day before.

Blair groaned as her mother and Cyrus let themselves in. God! Locks. These goddamn doors needed to be fitted with deadbolts. How did they expect anyone to recover from anything with people just barging in whenever they pleased? She was so busy cursing her mother's inopportune appearance that she almost missed Serena's reaction as Chuck came in behind the twosome. His eyes flashing first to Blair and then landing on the woman that he was bound to him in every way besides in blood.

She'd noticed the easy relationship between them yesterday. They acted as if they'd grown up their entire lives as siblings, snarking back and forth, joking and caring. Today, Serena watched him with a far different expression and he was considering her through narrowed eyes. Just what the hell was going on?

"A word, _Sis._" He hissed out.

Blair latched onto her friend's arm before she had the chance to get to her feet or tell her brother to go to hell, as her expression so clearly telegraphed for just the quickest of moments. "You can talk to Serena later, Bass. We were enjoying some nice girltalk." She shooed him, "Be gone. Why don't you go back and have another private chat with _my _doctor."

"Darling, we weren't trying to exclude you from the discussion. We just wanted to get some things ironed out…"

"Serena." Chuck said quietly, holding the door open.

"Blair." Serena tugged her arm free of the tight grasp binding her close. "There are a few things that Chuck and I need to discuss. We'll finish our talk right after. You have my word on it."

Blair watched them leave in disbelief. She'd woken up to pure insanity. Secrets. Serena was keeping secrets…something or _someone_ that Bass didn't want Blair knowing about? The world was crazy. Pure and simple.

"What was that all about?" Eleanor questioned.

"I have no idea."

Out in the hall, Serena glared at the back of her brother's head as he walked purposefully away from Blair's room. She almost walked right into him as he screeched to a halt, turning on her with nostrils flaring and his expression livid. What the hell did he have to be pissed about? She was the one that everyone had left twisting in the wind last night. The one they'd lied to for a better part of the day.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked.

"Excuse me. Shouldn't that be my question?"

"What did you say to Blair?"

Serena crossed her arms, glaring at her brother. "Nothing yet, but maybe that's the problem. I should just march right back in there and tell her that you're up to something. Bet that would get you talking, now wouldn't it?"

He reached out latching on to her arm before she could take more than a step. "Don't even try it, S."

"You don't want me to say anything then clue me in on the big mystery." Her face softened and she let him see just how worried she'd been since first realizing that Dan was missing. The guys were keeping secrets and Nate had all but admitted that they were treading dangerous waters. "Talk to me. What kind of trouble are you in?" She was terrified and not just for Dan, but for Chuck and Nate, as well. Granted, she and Chuck didn't share quite the same relationship as the one she had with Eric, but he was her family. Even before Bart and her mom made things legal, cementing bonds forged through marriage and adoption, he'd had her back. More times than she cared to remember, Chuck Bass had watched out for her. "Chuck, come on."

His eyes bore into her and at first she was sure that he'd refuse to answer her again, but then he nodded. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he hissed out "Fine, I'll tell _you, _but not a word to Blair. Not one."

"_Chuck_."

"I'm serious."

"But you heard her yesterday." Serena said.

He sighed, "Yes, I did. And I plan on honoring her wishes in every other matter beyond this one."

"Well, I think lying to her like you idiots have been lying to me would be a supremely bad idea."

"If you can't promise not to say anything then this conversation is over." Chuck informed.

Arms crossed, and her shoe tapping out a steady beat it seemed like forever before Serena could form the words. She didn't want to keep anything from Blair but she could already see Chuck shutting down on her again. She wanted answers. Now. "Okay. I promise." She gave in. "Now tell me the truth. Something really bad is happening, isn't it?"

Chuck looked away, not meeting her eyes. But it was already too late. She'd glimpsed the truth in those dark depths. Serena was used to seeing a multitude of emotions ripple through her brother's eyes. Dark humor when he was highly irritated. True love whenever he beheld one of his daughters. Cunning and wit when he scented a deal needing just his touch for a profitable closing. So many things. But very few times did Serena ever recall glimpsing the stark fear in those dark eyes before lashes lowered, shielding them from her sight.

He said. "Fine, but not out here."

Back in her room, Blair heard almost nothing of the conversation going on between Eleanor and Cyrus. She nodded, every now and again, giving the same appearance of attentiveness that she'd employed earlier with Penelope and the others. She really did try to pay attention but her focus and thoughts eternally slipped to the one person who wasn't in the room. Well, technically Serena, as well. This time, though, instead of wondering about her future as it was being discussed without her even being in the room, she now racked her brain trying to figure out Chuck and Serena's curious departure mere minutes before.

So as it was, her mind was trying to wrap itself around everything from the most plausible to the highly unlikely of conclusions when she half-heard Cyrus' mention of her mother moving back to New York.

It took moments to sink. Move back to New York? She frowned, turning to her mother who was considering the little man with an usually exasperated expression. One that in the past she'd reserved mostly for her daughter. Her greatest disappointment…Blair mentally shook herself, feeling the old insecurities crowding too close.

Instead she demanded, "Wait, what do you mean move back? You left? You actually packed up everything and moved away?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that exactly." Eleanor shifted as if uncomfortable under the weight of her daughter's stare.

"Okay. Define 'moved.' What you both just quit your jobs and turned into friggin' gypsies…" She asked, offering a humorless smile.

"For godsakes would you stop being so overdramatic." Her mother turned to Cyrus who watched them both, full of nerves and looking to jump in and soothe. "Darling, would you mind giving us a few minutes alone?"

After a moment he nodded, patting Blair's hands that she'd unconsciously fisted at her sides and offering his wife a quick peck on the cheek, whispering words that erased the worry from her mother's eyes. At least for the split second before she met Blair's eyes. "I won't be far." He said, but his words were lost as everything else ceased to exist while mother and daughter sized one another up.

"Blair…"

"Mother."

"Look, Blair darling. Things were difficult in New York…" She could see her mother visibly searching for just the right words. "My business is and has always been quite a fickle one…there's always someone trying to take you down. Some fresh face, new design trying to replace what I spent years…sacrificed so much to establish…" Eleanor explained, telling her about moving Waldorf Designs from New York to Los Angeles. From LA to Paris and from there she'd settled in London and spoke more and more excitedly about the resurging interest that she'd drummed up with the move to Great Britain.

Listening to her mother, Blair didn't want to feel hurt that once again she'd ended up on being one of her mother's "sacrifices" when it came to her business. Granted now that Blair was awake, the woman was heading back to New York, despite her recent success overseas, but still a part of her hated the fact that her mother hadn't been there day in, day out watching over Blair's sickbed. She knew for a fact that Dorota had been. Chuck and Serena had told her as much, and Chuck brought the girls at least once a week, but as always Eleanor Waldorf showed a different set of priorities when it came to her daughter. Her comatose daughter.

Was she being selfish? Irrational to have wanted her mother to be there. Put her first in this instance.

Probably, she admitted to herself, her expression softening. "So what now, Mom? You're closing the London house and opening up the apartment…will I recognize any of the staff? I know Dorota's been with Chuck and the girls for the past few years. Did you keep a skeleton crew…wait what about Cyrus' practice?"

"Um, well. Actually, Cyrus' practice is still going strong here in New York." Eleanor said, making her daughter wonder suddenly if the former newlyweds she'd known them as, had drifted or if they were going through rough times. Despite her stepfather's ever jovial attitude, was there trouble brewing in her mother's marriage. Had her pursuits for her career destroyed another marriage…the first didn't really count. She supposed, taking her father and Roman into account. "We didn't keep the apartment, though." Her mother added, almost as if it were an afterthought.

Blair stared at her blankly, her words slipping around the surface of her brain, making no impact or sense. They hadn't kept the apartment. What apartment? Cyrus' old apartment on the Westside? Of course they would've gotten rid of that early on. Blair watched her mother's face color with guilt and the very fact that she wouldn't meet Blair's eyes, said more than enough.

_Their_ apartment. Only the one home she'd ever had…_ever. _Memories. Birthdays. Break-ups. New passion. Friendships lost and found. So much had taken place in the Waldorf apartment during her first eighteen years of life. Now it was gone.

"I don't understand."

"You have to believe that it was the last thing that I wanted…but I lost everything. Everything, Blair. I sank all I could into trying to keep Waldorf Designs afloat here in New York." She told Blair, thinking bitterly on every countermeasure that young Charles had put into play in his effort to destroy her. He'd cost her everything. "It wasn't supposed to be permanent, Blair. I liquidated everything trying to keep the business solvent…"

"What about Cyrus or Daddy? I know they would've helped…" Blair pushed aside the resentment burning through her. As much as she hated her mother's utter devotion to her company, she wouldn't have wanted Eleanor to lose it. Not like that.

Eleanor shook her head. She had dared not appeal to Harold for help in her war with Charles. Not after their bitter court battle for guardianship of Blair.

And that damn boy had made it more than clear that he'd go after Cyrus as well if he played interference, putting even one cent into Waldorf Designs. Her sweetheart of a husband had offered nonetheless and she'd been tempted but hadn't chanced it…not with Charles' warning ringing in her ears. No instead she'd decided to take her company on the road. Start again, but she'd been fooling herself, thinking that mere distance would end the hostilities…at least from the angry young man that her daughter had so foolishly given her heart. In the end, she'd just been angry and without recourse. That more than anything had kept her from reaching out…from trying to make peace and meet her granddaughters. Over the years, she'd watched them grow, through the photographs surrounding her daughter's hospital bed.

As the years passed, she never thought that there was a chance of Blair coming back to her. If her little girl was so obviously upset over the lost of her childhood home then how would she greet the news of Eleanor's actions after she'd given birth? How would she take the news of Evie's adoption and the court battle between Eleanor and Harold?

Blair reached out and squeezed her mother's hand, "I'm really…I'm just sorry that happened to you, Mom. I really wish that I could've been here. Maybe I could've helped in some way."

"There was nothing you could've done…though I do appreciate the sentiment."

"But I could've…even if it meant tapping into my trust fund." Blair frowned, "Unless you did and that's gone as well." She noticed flushed cheeks. "Mother you didn't." Was that gone along with everything else? God, the hits just kept coming.

"No. I didn't. But it was tempting." Eleanor admitted. She'd considered it more than once. Harold would've gone through the roof and been done with her. Even Cyrus who'd thought her actions firmly in the wrong, might have deserted her. No. She'd left Blair's trust untouched, allowing Harold to act as administrator keeping it going for Blair or the twins.

Releasing a long, shaky sigh of relief, Blair squeezed her mother's hand again. They both fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Blair hated what had befallen her mother's loved career and she was devastated at the loss of the only home she'd ever know…well except for those last few weeks at the Van der Bass manse. Back then, she'd been so sure that her mother would come around to her way of thinking and that she'd be back in her old room, instead of Chuck's which she'd taken for her own, spending long nights in _his _bed. Maneuvering her hugely pregnant body from one side of the bed to the next, searching for unattainable comfort.

She'd lay there, one hand cradling her rounded belly and she'd talk to her girls. About her plans for their future. About Yale and how they'd find a way to make it all work. She'd defend their grandmother, telling them all the ways that Eleanor could disappoint but how much they would still love the woman. She made promises to be a different kind of mother. They were beautiful. She couldn't see them. Hadn't cradled them in her arms yet but she told them of her love. And Chuck. She told them about the father missing from their lives. All the things that drove her crazy about him…okay, well maybe not everything.

During those nights, she'd tell them about Thanksgiving and Christmas Waldorf-style and Grandpa Harold's pumpkin pies that they'd help her make when they were big enough. She'd pictured herself back home at the Waldorf apartment with Dorota cooing over the two bassinets. Blair had envisioned her mother's out and out adoration of the two babies, once she finally laid eyes on them and they were as real to her as they were to Blair.

Now the apartment, _home_ was gone and she wondered if her babies had known it even a little.

"I'm sorry, Blair." Eleanor said, standing and pulling her daughter close. "You have no idea how incredibly sorry I am for the way things turned out." She framed Blair's face, searching for a sign of what…Blair couldn't really tell. Forgiveness. Redemption.

"It's okay. I'm back and you're coming home to New York…which…are you sure is the best idea? Didn't you say that business was booming back in Merry Ol' England?" Blair teased, adopting an accent with the last.

"Yes, but I can do just as much from here and fly out when necessary. I want to be here, though. I need to be here."

And that was all Blair had ever wanted to hear from her mother. All the rest could be forgiven. Except. "Mom. What happened to all of my things? Please don't tell me that there's some homeless woman slepping around in my favorite slingbacks."

Her mother gave a full-bodied laugh at that. "Slepping around…ha, be serious, darling."

Blair made a face, "Um, I am. Seriously. Where's are my things?"

"That question, my darling, you're going to have to pose to young Charles."

"Oh, you bet I will. Where in the world did he and Serena run off to…" She wondered aloud, apart of her still wondering what had the two so fired up. And wanting to know just what he'd done with her favorite Louboutins. Her clothes. Her headbands. It'd taken her years to settle on just the right combinations. Find her own look. Maybe none of it would fit her anymore. And it was all probably woefully out of style, but it was all hers. Damn but she wanted out of that bed. The sooner, the better.

"Mom, what'd the doctor say?" She demanded, determination in the set of her shoulders and tilt of her mouth. "When can I get out of here?"

~ஐ~

Her mother hadn't married a murderer. She hadn't, Serena assured herself as Chuck's words broke into the steady rhythm of silence and echoing steps outside of the empty hospital room that they'd ducked into, finding no privacy in crowded waiting rooms or hallways.

She listened attentively as, Chuck told her about the insurance scam and the man who'd perished in the blaze. For the most part, she understood his reluctance to share his father's misdeeds with the world. But Serena couldn't figure why the big secret was necessary when it came to Blair. Not like she'd run off spreading the Bass dirty laundry to the world at large.

Then her brother told her about the new fires that'd cropped up. Loosely connected to him and Bass industries and a chill crept through her as the truth finally settled in.

"You have to go to the police, Chuck." She said.

He shrugged and stared sightlessly from the window down to the streets below. "They already know."

Serena rolled her eyes, "Chuck, I don't mean Nate."

"He's the police…" He held up his hand before she could commence chewing him out. "Simmer down, Van der Woodsen. I've already spoken with the police on this matter and they're doing their part."

"So just what the hell are you and Nate…and _Dan _doing? And if you try feeding me that bullshit story about some mugging again you'll regret it."

"Didn't plan to. I want this over with as quickly as possibly. The police don't have as much invested as I do in seeing that done." Chuck said.

"Your father. You're protecting Bart." She finally understood.

"Among other things."

Serena sighed, not bothering to argue with him. She knew there'd be no getting him to budge in that respect. She frowned, "Do you think my mom knows? About the fire twenty years ago."

Chuck shook his head, "My father dealt in secrets. Delving into the past misdeeds of others."

"Yes, I think I recall that _charming _trait of his personality." Serena said sourly, making a face.

"Of course, you do. Interesting reading, Sis." He said.

"Chuck. Focus." Serena told him impatiently. "Do you think that my mother knows?"

He smiled almost bitterly at that, "My father…my father let someone in to know quite possibly his darkest sin? His dirty little secret. I don't think so and I don't want you running around asking her about it."

"Like I'd come right out and ask her." Serena countered. "I'm not an idiot."

"Most days I'm very confident in that fact but then you do the stupidest things like getting involved with Baizen."

"I really wish you wouldn't take every opportunity to remind me of that particular lapse." Especially with what she'd recently learned about that bastard and Vanessa.

Chuck watched the change in her expression, nothing escaping his careful scrutiny. "What's wrong? What'd Baizen do this time?"

"Nothing he hasn't done before. Now stop changing the subject. I want to help." She said.

"With what?"

"With the little investigation you boys are running. I want this over for our family, too."

"I don't think so. Not happening." His expression hardened.

"I could help. Same as Dan and Nate." She retorted.

"Nate's a police officer. He has access to the ongoing investigation and other resource. Dan, despite his recent coverage of that effing dogshow and this screwup going off on his own…the guy seems to have a knack for this investigative reporting deal he's settled on. He may be the same bungling fool that we knew in high school…"

"Chuck, that bungling idiot…"

"Fool."

"Whatever…according to you, Dan's tracked down more information than all of your PIs put together have been able to come up with in the past few days." Serena defended Dan, though she hadn't completely forgiven him for lying to her.

"I know. Which is why he's in on this…you, however, are going to back off now that you've got your precious answers. You're going to back off and not say a single word to Blair." Chuck said.

"You should tell her."

He groaned, closing his eyes. "God."

"I'm serious."

"Blair had a heart attack less than 48 hours ago. She's recovering from spending the last five years in a bed, missing out on her life. You really want to throw this at her right now. Really?" Chuck demanded quietly.

"Maybe…maybe not. Not yet anyway." Serena admitted, "She'll hate the idea that you're keeping something from her."

"Well, I suppose that you'd better not give her any reason to think I'm doing anything of the sort" Chuck said, "There's actually something that I'm thinking of doing. It's a surprise for B and I'll need your help."

"A surprise. Great another secret. Chuck."

"I know, but this one she'll like." He said, one side of his mouth quirking into a half-smile, "I'm still working on preliminaries, but I'll let you know."

"Fine." She said getting to her feet. "Anything else? Grand schemes. Bank heists?"

"No. Just be careful. You notice anything out of the ordinary and I want you calling me or Nate…or Dan." Chuck warned. "You notice anyone out of place or the same face popping up where it shouldn't be…"

"You think I'm being followed."

"I honestly don't know what to think." He told her, "I just need your help…this is how you can pitch in. By being careful. Vigilant."

"Now I'm scared."

"I don't want you to be. I just want to keep your eyes open. Especially around B and the girls. There's been no personal threat as of yet to me and mine but we need to be ready for anything." Chuck said, strolling from the window to the hospital. "So there you have it. You've got your answers. Happy?"

"Not even close."

~ஐ~

Gia walked purposefully down one hallway after the next, giving every appearance of belonging. She wasn't supposed to be here. Her assignment had been very clear from the onset. Meet up with Chuck Bass. Make herself obviously available and let nature do the rest.

Bass hadn't fallen in as he was supposed to, proving unbelievable resistant, despite his colorful history.

She'd been told to wait from Georgina. Wait for word when she was supposed to make her next move, but once she'd heard about Blair Waldorf's return to the land of the living, she couldn't resist the idea of getting a glimpse at sleeping beauty. The woman who had former playboy Bass knotted up and tied down so badly that even in a coma her hold was strong.

She'd dared two passes beyond Waldorf's hospital door but each time there was someone in the room. She'd spotted the pallid, dark-haired young woman. Pretty enough, Gia supposed, but nothing to merit all of the fuss being made. Surely not sufficient to hold the attention of someone like Bass. What hold did the girl have over him, other than the children their shared? How easy or how difficult would it be to diminish those bonds? Destroy them as surely as Georgina wanted her to.

"Excuse me. Are you lost, young lady? " She stepped back slowly, controlling her expression, not letting her panic too close to the surface. Shit. Shit. She wasn't supposed to be here. God, that Sparks bitch would have her head if she got caught so early into the game.

"Um, I was just looking for my sister." Gia turned, taking in the sight of the short, rosy cheeked fellow watching her with a helpful expression. "Could've sworn the nurse gave me this room number. I'm horrible with numbers. Guess I'd better head back and double check with her."

She hurried back in the direction she'd come, returning the quick wave that he sent her off with. Gia barreled around the corner and right into the none other than the man himself and the tall blonde she'd seen him with on more than one occasion.

"Remember. Not a word to Blair." He was saying just before Gia bumped into them.

She mumbled a hurried apology, ducking her head as she went on her way. She heard him curse behind her and then go back to his conversation with the blonde. Blair? That was sleeping beauty's given name. Blair. What exactly wasn't she supposed to know about? Hmm. God, but she wished she could stick around. She couldn't take the chance of Bass getting a look at her face though. Recognizing her. No way. She fucked things up right now and the bitch would have her goddamn head.

Later. She'd find out all that she needed later.

~ஐ~

"I need to talk to you. I'm a few minutes out from the hospital."

"What's up, Nathaniel." He said, motioning for Serena to follow Cyrus inside the hospital room. Chuck smiled as his eyes met curious brown eyes that locked on to the phone at his ear. "I need to take this. I'll be right back." He told her and then backpedaled as quickly as he could, ignoring the blond and brunette both now glaring at him.

"Chuck, you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. What's going on?" He wandered away from the open doorway.

"Meet me down in Humphrey's hospital room. We all need to talk. My Lieu and Detective Miller were just at the apartment. We need to find out what Dan remembers from yesterday. If we can get back to that house, we could be that much closer to ending this thing.

"Good idea. I'll meet you downstairs." Chuck said, heading for the bank of elevators. His thoughts ran the woman he and Serena had bumped into. He hadn't gotten a good look at her and he'd been distracted by Serena's sudden relapse into "Blair should know" and "You can't just not say anything?"

He'd tell her. The moment he was forced to hired armed guards, he'd let her know of the possible dangers lurking around them. But he didn't want Blair panicking or god forbid Eleanor discovering the truth and deciding that she had leverage or using it to make trouble for him. And he didn't want to let his unknown enemy see just how afraid he was, he wouldn't show weakness. For all Chuck knew, hiring bodyguards at that point would be like point a huge sign at Blair and girls, telling his enemies to "aim here."

~ஐ~

And there he went. Again. God. Was it too much to ask for him to put the damn phone away for two seconds and for the world to step the hell off so that she could interrogate him in peace. For godsakes.

"Where is he going?" She turned on her best friend.

Serena shrugged, shaking her head. "I dunno.''

"I'll bet." Blair pursed her lips, letting the weight of her doubtful glance settle fully on her best friend. She turned to her mother and Cyrus, trying to figure the politest way to boot them from her room, so that she and Serena could have a little tête-à-tête. Before she could come up with even one flimsy excuse, her father was back with her doctor and Roman.

She got excited when her doctor immediately did what she'd wanted evicting everyone from the room but then everyone included Serena. Blair tried charming the man into letter her friend stay. He proved resistant.

"I promise that this won't take very long. Miss Waldorf. I just need to check a few things. You friend. And your family." His glance went from one face to the next before coming back around to Blair. "They won't be far away."

"But…"

Serena jumped in, "B, follow the doctor's orders."

"Listen to Serena." Her mother threw in her two cents.

Blair sighed and gave in, "Fine." Her expression cleared and she smiled at her parents, her gaze including Cyrus and Roman. "You guys have all been so great spending time so much time with me. Your day when I'm sure you've got tons of couplely things that you want to do."

"Blair-bear. I adore Roman but he understands that there's nowhere that I'd rather be that here with you." Her father said.

Roman nodded, "But of course."

Any other day, her father's words would've had her beaming but it wasn't what she needed to hear right then. "I've got the best idea. I think you all should go out and treat yourselves to a nice lunch. Maybe at Stefano's. They are still open, aren't they?" That restaurant had been in business for almost 40 years and it would be just her luck if the place decided to go under while she…was—well, under.

"It's still there, darling." Eleanor assured.

Blair nodded, "Good, then I insist that you four take off for the next few hours. You've been here all morning and then yesterday. Treat yourselves to some couple time. S'll keep me company. Won't you, sweetie?" She smiled at her best friend.

The blond rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as it she realized that she'd been deftly outmaneuvered. "Of course."

"Good. Great. Glad that's settled." She sighed, content to have her way.

The doctor walked over to the door holding it open as Blair's family filed out. He shut the door behind them and turned to Blair, flashing his pearly-whites. "Promise it won't take long at all, Miss Waldorf. Just want to check your vitals." He came to stand beside her, reaching for his stethoscope with one hand and the other reaching out to grip her wrist.

Blair frowned at him, "What are you…"

"Easy," He moved closer, his eyes focused on his wristwatch. "Just checking your pulse. I'm going to listen to your heart in a moment. We'll order another echo and an EKG in a day or so just to be sure."

She was quiet as he worked, trying not to focus on how nervous she was all of a sudden. And it seemed that the more she tried controlling her breathing, the more breathless she suddenly felt.

"Exciting past few days. Seems you're quite the popular girl. Non-stop visitors I'm told." He said, letting her hand fall back into her lap as he scribbled out a note to himself. She peeked at it but couldn't have deciphered it on the pain of death. "Oh, sorry." He apologized when she flinched, cold metal settling against her chest. "Just try to relax. Breathe normally. In…out…in…there you go."

Smiling green eyes latched on to hers, and she saw the interest flare in those depths. Automatically she studied him as he seemed to feel so free in his survey of her. He was handsome enough she supposed and seemed quite younger than she'd first believed. His sun-kissed blonde hair and tan features had her picturing him not in the white lab coat, currently adorning his lean form but in a pair of swim trunks on a white, sandy beach.

The beach. God, she wanted out of this hospital and the beach sounded heavenly. Or having lunch with her family at Romano's. Feeding the ducks with her girls. Just anywhere but that hospital room. "When can I get out of here?" Blair blurted out her demand.

"Wow, accommodations that bad, are they?" He teased.

Blair shrugged, returning his smile. "No, it's not that…well to be quite honest, not completely 'bad,' but this place would never be mistaken for the Waldorf-Astoria, now would it?...Sorry. I'm sorry. Let's just say that I have this thing about hospitals." She admitted.

"Funny. I've got a thing for them myself."

She shifted, offering a blank expression in the face of his continued regard. "Hmm."

"Sorry. Unfunny jokes. My friends say I very good or bad at coming up with them."

Blair only nodded, sure that he'd stopped talking if she didn't say very much. God, was he actually flirting? If Serena had stayed like a good best friend, she could've played buffer. She tried again, repeating her earlier question. "Do you think there's a chance I could be going home…" Wherever that might be. "in the next few days."

He frowned, "Well, I spoke at length with your parents and your…with Mr. Bass." He told her, "I told them that I thought you might thrive in the rehab program here at St. Vincent's, but they insist that you'd be happier…more apt to make a quicker recovery at the private facility where you've been for the past few years."

"You don't agree."

He shrugged, "I suppose it would be the best thing…quickest road to recovery. More of a concentrated effort with few patients. Guess I'd just be very disappointed to lose you as a patient. Yours is quite the interesting case."

"You say interesting…I say insane. It's all very…hmm…surreal."

"It's too be expected that you'd have so adjustment issues during your recovery. I'm suggesting that you speak with Dr. Cartwright before I sign off on the transfer. Once your echo and EKG come back clean and Cartwright gives the go ahead then you'll be own of here." He told her.

"I'm sorry, but you have no I idea how relieved I am to hear you say that, Dr. Chambers." She offered a genuine smile as a relieved sigh escaped.

"I think I've get the idea. And call me Will. Please."

"Will." She amended, meeting his gaze dead on. "Good. Now let's get on with the tests or whatever you need. I want out of this place and fast."

"Let me see what I can get scheduled for the next few days." He started to leave. "You just take it easy, okay."

"Yes. I will. Definitely. Thanks again." Blair beamed, excited at the prospect at getting out of there. "And if you see my friend…"

"The blonde?" She nodded, smiling sweetly as he guessed. "I'll send her right in."

The door shut behind him and Blair sank back against the pillows at her back. God, her day had just gotten that much better. Home was so much closer and maybe it wouldn't be the apartment where she'd grown up, but she could create a new place for herself in the world. Her mother had already offered to let her move into the new place that she and Cyrus had bought on the Upper East Side. Her mother said that it wasn't far from Chuck's apartment and the girls.

Eleanor offered it as just another option. Not sure what to say or think, Blair agreed to think about it, making no comment when her mother inquired as to what she and Chuck had decided on for the future. She couldn't very well tell the woman that she was taking her time before broaching that particular subject with Chuck Bass.

God, she was getting out of there.

She squealed, her giggle filling the room. No more white and blue walls or beeping machines. And clothes. She'd get actual clothes to wear instead of the disgusting polyester and cotton blend nightgown that'd been forced on her. Just a few more days….a few more tests, according to the truly handsome Dr. Chambers…Or Will. He'd insisted that she call him, Will.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

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**A/N:** Okay and got it out. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Lots of CS. Moments for Eleanor and Blair. Serena gets some answers about Bart and the fire and the boys' secrets and the why Chuck is so worried about Blair knowing the truth. Hmm though while Chuck is off chasing the mystery of fires and keeping secrets…young, flirty Dr. Chambers…or Dr. Will as he likes to be called puts in an appearance. As does Georginia's minion, wanting a look at her competition. Chuck's worried...S knows the truth...B wants answers. As always want to know what you guys are thinking. Nothing but love…will update asap. :D

Courtneyஐ


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** So here's the next chapter. Again your words and thoughts always mean a lot to me. Love you guys. Much love to my girls and big kiss to my Wifey.

* * *

**ஐChapter 17**

While Serena made that long walk back to Blair's room, still not sure just what to say to her best friend, Chuck was downstairs with his best friend, fighting the urge to wring Dan Humphrey's effing neck.

If only the idiot hadn't gone off half-cocked, Chuck might very well be upstairs, reconnecting with the mother of his children. That was all he really wanted. Time with Blair, the only woman who'd ever made him quite literally sit up and take notice. She'd danced for herself, _for him _that night at Victrola and finally made him see what had been staring him in the face during all those years that she and Nate had played at being boyfriend/girlfriend. Then there she'd been. All for him. More than once he'd managed to fuck things up. They both had. Over and over again.

Now here was a chance to start again and make things right, but instead of being with her…he was spending quality time with Dan Humphrey. His world was starting to veer from surreal and off-kilter into knee-deep insanity.

They were no closer to tracking down the arsonist and now he had his dear sister breathing down his fucking neck. The craziest part of it was that if Humphrey had somehow managed to not bungle the entire affair, Chuck might have commended him for such a ballsy solo act.

Damn it, he glared at the dark-haired man who was gingerly getting to his feet.

"So you're sure that you can find it?" Nate asked.

The other man nodded slowly, his frowning expression belying the affirmative motion. "Yes. Definitely." Dan rubbed at the discolored goose-egg marring his temple. "I mean…I think I could get us back there…"

"That's great. Just effing great, Humphrey." Chuck sighed impatiently, "All right, so which is it. Can you get us back to that house or not?"

Dan returned Chuck's hostile regard, "Would you back the hell off for a minute? My head only feels like someone decided that I'd make the perfect stand-in for a game of whiffle ball." He added rolling his eyes, "Oh, wait. Somebody did."

"And whose fault is that?" Chuck retorted, letting the full amount of his anger and frustration boil dangerously close to the surface, "If you had waited…just a few hours…or even called me. Called Nate. We might not even be having this conversation. You might not look like something they rolled in from the gutter."

"Wow, Chuck. You almost sound like you care…I didn't know."

"Guys." Nate said, starting to move between the glaring twosome.

They ignored him, bickering back and forth, moving in closer to one another in an almost weary and yet eager dance\. Both men looked at their wits end and seemed willing to blow off some of their shared frustration by picking back up again with their brawl of only days before.

Chuck turned a hostile glance on his best friend as Nate refused to just let them have at it.

"This isn't going to solve anything. Come on, guys, do I have to pull out my cuffs?"

The room fell silent as Chuck and Dan ceased passing insults back and forth and turned on Nate. They watched him in equal expressions of disbelief before glancing back at one another and laughing. And just like that the tension twisting them all up, seemed to loosen. Not completely. Chuck was still pissed beyond reason and Dan felt the fine edge of guilt that put him on the defensive.

"Fine, Nathaniel. We promise to behave." Chuck said, his mouth quirking into a half-smile. "Just do me a favor and never threaten to pull out the handcuffs on me again. Humphrey here might get the wrong idea." Suddenly, a light of intrigue flamed Chuck's amber eyes and he stroked his jaw thoughtfully, "Now if you were to loan them to me for say…"

"Can we talk about something else? Please." Dan interjected.

"Sure." Chuck's expression sobered, "Did you happen to remember the location for that house?"

"Dammit. Sort of. I could find it again. It's just that—I uh sort of got turned around a few times before I actually found the place yesterday and that was when I had the address at my disposal."

"Are you trying to make piss me off, Humphrey?"

"Naw, just god-given talent."

Chuck nodded, full on derision in his tone and expression, "I suppose there had to be _some _purpose for your existence."

Nate shook his head, falling back. "Enough guys. Save the pissing contests for later."

"Such a distasteful way of putting things but I suppose Nathaniel is correct." Chuck murmurred, "We called a truce, Brooklyn. I suppose it'll stand for now. So you got lost…carry on."

"I got turned around but I finally tracked down the house."

"In Jersey."

"Yea…I thought you weren't going to interrupt. Nevermind. Yes, in New Jersey." Dan said.

"Nathaniel, the lojack they used to locate Humphrey's rental. No way they could use it to backtrack where he'd been?" Chuck asked.

"I don't think so. Damn thing doesn't even start transmitting locations unless the station is notified of theft. Let me check with one of the techs. Guy owes me a favor." Nate said.

"Are you sure that's wise? What with your superiors paying you wake-up calls, you know?" Chuck inquired quietly.

His oldest friend shrugged, "Like I said, he owes me one."

"Are you sure they took everything, Nate?" Dan asked. "What about my laptop…?"

"I checked every inch of that hotel room…those files were long gone. As for your laptop." Nate shook his head, "The thing was in pieces."

Chuck frowned, "Maybe I could get one of my people to look at it. Try to retrieve something from the hard drive."

Nate shook his head, "God, I wish that was an option but whoever is doing this has thought of everything. The hard drive was just completely gone. The detectives last night wondered about that…probably what sent Miller and my lieutenant to my door this morning. They know we're working on something."

"You sure you didn't get a look at this guy, Humph…Dan?" Chuck asked.

"I really wish to hell that I had…"

Chuck added, "He left you for dead, you know. There's every chance that he's going to come back to finish the job…he might not want to take the risk that you did get a look at him."

"Fuck." Dan squeezed his eyes shut. Cursing again. The thought honestly hadn't occurred to him. He'd been so busy just trying to survive the night and make it to Vanessa and Nate's that he'd never even considered this new threat.

"We were thinking that you'd move into the Palace." Nate said.

Chuck nodded, "I'd have more control there and the Palace's security is far superior to that dump where you were staying."

"Of course it is." Dan rolled his eyes, but didn't argue Chuck's point. Upon waking, he'd learned from his sister that their father was picking up the rest of Dan's things that had been salvaged from his destroyed hotel room. He'd planned to join his father at the hotel Rufus had chosen, closer to St. Vincent's and Jenny, but now with this new awareness of the danger that was an impossibility.

The door opened behind them. "Mr. Humphrey. Gentlemen. I just need a few moments with my patient so we can get him cleared to go."

The two best friends wandered into hallway. Chuck glanced at his watch and grimaced. "I guess I should be heading back upstairs…Blair's probably wondering where the hell I am. You okay with getting Humphrey settled at the hotel?"

"Yeah," Nate nodded slowly, looking away from his friend and then back again. "Listen. I'm going to be moving into a suite myself."

"Nathaniel, you don't have to move out of the apartment."

The blond smiled sadly, "Actually, I do. I mean Blair's going to be coming to stay at the apartment once she's back on her feet, right?"

Chuck nodded without hesitation, "Of course, but that doesn't mean that you have to go. You're my best friend, man, and if you need someplace to stay then…"

"Then you'll put me up in the Palace…free of charge, of course. Look, when Blair gets home…you guys are going to have a lot to deal with…without me and my fucking problems constantly underfoot." Nate said. "Besides, I think I might need my own space for a while."

Chuck studied his best friend for a moment before clapping him on the shoulder, "If that's what you need. Go ahead and take a room. While you're there I'd suggest that you take full advantage of the…uh perks. It's been a while but Renee, she's on the kitchen staff…she has an excellent."

"Chuck, man come on."

"Hands. I was going to say hands, Nathaniel." Chuck grinned, his mouth curving in to a devilish grin. "The woman was a licensed masseuse before my father hired her. Beautiful woman and again…really knows what she's doing with those hands."

"Thanks but no thanks. Unlike you I have other commitments…" Nate's words trailed off and his smile fell away as he realized what he was saying. He was still so concerned with his commitments and the vows he'd made for a marriage that he'd all but declared dead in the early morning hours when he'd been on the edge of sleep.

"Look. I've given you some space with this but if you want talk about that faithless bitch then I'm here."

"Don't call her that." Nate glared but soon enough his expression was softening in apology. He said quietly, "It might be the truth. I just don't need to hear you saying it…okay?"

"Whatever, you say. Look. Do what you need to do? Get yourself moved into the Palace. Wallow in self-pity or a nice bout of meaningless sex…pleasurable distractions if you will. I don't care, but it pisses me off seeing you like this. Nathaniel. That's all."

"We'll see." Nate said, "You'd better get back upstairs before Blair sends a search party out for you."

Chuck could just picture the search party of two that would be on this tail, consisting of Roman and Cyrus. One who was an incorrigible flirt and the other came bearing a hug that could take down a fucking NFL linebacker. "You're probably right. Listen, maybe later I'll drop by the Palace and we can have a drink. S or Blair's parents will keep her company while I'm gone."

"You plan on spending the night here again?"

Chuck shrugged, "I suppose. I don't want to leave her alone here. Do me a favor though and unless it's life or death…don't call. My cover story to Blair about overseas business gets thinner every time…that or she thinks I'm turning into my father. A workaholic with almost no time for his offspring or the woman he married."

"Maybe you should tell her after all."

"God, not you too. Now you're starting to sound like Serena." Chuck groaned, exasperated. "And on that note…I'd better head back up. Keep an eye on Humphrey, would you? I'm afraid to even consider what idiotic stunt he might pull next."

"Damn. How'd I get stuck babysitting Humphrey?"

"Who says I need a babysitter?" Dan asked, coming up behind them. His doctor hurrying off in the opposite direction.

"Um, well yesterday kind of proved that you do, wouldn't you say?" Nate cleared his throat.

"I took a chance."

Chuck's mouth thinned, his expression void of all humor and sentiment of before. "Yes, you did and now we have nothing. Nice job." He turned back to Nate, "I'll text you later."

Dan shook his head and watched as Chuck turned on his heel, casting one last look of distaste in Dan's direction. Turning back to Nate he said, "I really hate that guy. I don't know how you've managed to stay friends with him for all these years."

"Chuck has his moments…but honestly…best friends aren't a subject that I think you or I need to be bringing up." Nate started to walk off, heading for the exit.

"Sorry, man. I wasn't thinking. Extracting foot from mouth now." Dan promised, "Subject dropped."

"Thanks." Nate slowed his pace, falling into step beside the other man. They walked outside, cold air and noise of midday Manhattan wrapping around them.

"Except."

Nate rolled his eyes heavenward, pausing in his attempt at flagging down a cab. "Too easy. It was too easy. What? Except what?"

"About Vanessa…" Dan said not looking away with Nate's eyes narrowed, threatening certain death if he didn't stop while he was ahead. "About what happened. Her cheating on you."

"Drop it. Not another word, Dan or you're on your own." Nate said, turning away, intent on ending the conversation and getting them the hell out of there.

"Just let me say one thing and then I promise that I won't say another word on the subject."

"I won't even talk to my best friend about this thing with Vanessa. Why the hell should I listen to what you have to say?" Nate came at him, expression dark, fists clenched at his sides.

People edged around them, some oblivious and stuck in the own heads while others cast looks with varying degrees of interest.

Dan stood unmoving in the face of the other man's barely leashed anger, "Why should you listen to me? Hmm, I don't know. Maybe because you look like you want to throw me in front of a bus…or at the very least knock my lights out…again. You remember that…don't you? Your fist. My jaw." He brought a hand to his bruised jaw. "I'd say you owe me a few seconds and then I'll butt out."

"I could just hit you again."

"You could but that wouldn't shut me up."

"Dammit. Say it then."

"Okay." Dan said, "Don't give up on her."

"Excuse me. Don't give u…that's all you got? Really?" Nate laughed darkly. "She cheated on me, broke vows that _she_ made to _me_. You get that? She went off and fucked somebody else."

"I get it. I do. But why? Why would she…something's wrong and you're not asking the right questions."

"You know who it is, don't you?"

Automatically, Dan brought his hands up in mock surrender. "No, she didn't tell me his name. She did tell me how messed up she's been over the past few months."

"Oh, so this is my fault. She's been 'messed up' and that makes me the bad husband who didn't give a damn…fuck you Dan. I was there." Nate said.

"I didn't say you weren't and for the record, neither did she. Vanessa…"

"Can you not say her name to me? And you second's about up."

"Fine. But just hear me and remember that you've made mistakes in the past, too. We all have. Maybe it'd be a good idea for you guys to sit down and talk about what got you to this point."

"Well, thank you very much, Dr. Phil. Vanessa and I have said everything that needs to be said at this point…and so have you. Now we're done. Got it." Nate said.

"Don't just walk away. That's all I'm saying. Or years from now, you might find yourself regretting not sitting down and having that conversation. That's all I'm saying." Dan said, his mind going back to that long-ago day when he hadn't taken Blair's advice, "And now I'm done. Here's a cab."

He left Nate standing there.

"You coming or what, Archibald?" Dan climbed into the backseat and waited for the other man. Without a word, Nate followed, hoping that Dan would keep his mouth shut after offering up his unsolicited advice.

Nate started to give the cabbie the address for the Palace when Dan interrupted.

"Wait. I was thinking. Maybe we should take a ride over into Jersey. See what clicks." The reporter said, "Unless you need to check in with your other half before _you _make a move. Chuck might get pissy at you, too, for following a lead without his express permission."

"That's not what he meant and you know it. He's just worried about Blair and the girls."

Dan nodded and cleared his throat. Danger back on the menu as his thoughts drifted to the faceless man who'd almost killed him the night before. Quite possibly the same guy who was responsible for the fires and that horrible night at his sister's boutique. His sister could've died that night. They all could've if things had gone differently. He understood Chuck's fears and anger. And that made him even more intent to get back to that house in Jersey. With or without Nate Archibald in tow.

~ஐ~

Blair waited for Serena. Minutes crawling by since flirty Dr. Will had left her alone. Hmm, maybe he'd been too busy hitting on S to bother with giving her Blair's message. She cursed softly, wishing for the umpteenth time that she could just get up and hunt them all down.

God, it was only the second day and she was sick to death of the walls around her and not being able to get out of bed.

She wiggled her toes experimentally and moved her legs back and forth beneath the sheets. Her body still felt sore and heavy, but already she was starting to feel stronger. Blair chewed on her bottom lip, wondering. Before she could talk herself out of it, she gripped the metal rail at one side of her hospital bed and started to swing her legs ever so slowly to the side.

Once her feet were dangling over the edge, Blair politely told the voice in the back of her head to shut it and she scooted her hospital gown clad bottom across scratchy white sheets. Triumph and nerves warred in her belly until her bottom rested on the very edge of the hospital bed and her bare, unpainted toes were touching the cold floor. A thrill of excitement shot through her at getting even that far. She could do this. She'd breeze right through rehab and then she'd do what it took to get her life back…find her place in the world and in her daughters' lives.

To get started with that, she needed to literally be back on her own feet. Sighing, Blair supposed that she ought to be satisfied with just that bit of success and scoot her butt right back where she'd started before one of the nurses or Serena came in to give her an earful. Still she was so full of all the things that she wanted to do, the minute she truly had her life back and she didn't want to wait to get started in that endeavor. She wanted to have complete control of her own body and life now. She didn't want others making decisions that should be hers. And she didn't want to be stuck in that friggin bed any minute longer than absolutely necessary.

Making sure not to fiddle overmuch with the wires filtering back to the machines that tracked every fluctuation and tic of her heartbeat, Blair gripped the metal rail with both hands until her knuckles bleed white. Then she just pushed off, her body no longer supported by the bed, but instead on unsteady legs that shook. She waited her breath coming fast and hard as a smile grew.

She'd done it. She was doing it. Blair suddenly wished that she hadn't sent them all off…or that Chuck at least could be there to see her. She had time for that one thought before her wobbling knees buckled beneath her slight weight and she went crashing to the floor.

"Ow." Blair muttered after the initial shock of it. She rubbed at her stinging bottom and her arm where she'd accidently ripped the IV from her arm. And the heart monitor sounded in rapid succession, picking up not on the racing of her heart but absence of a heartbeat since she'd dislodged the sensor. "Well, that's just great."

The hospital door swung open. Instead of the army of doctors and audience that she'd been wishing for earlier to witness her triumph…it was only S.

Thank God. Her face still ran hot with her embarrassment, but she'd seen her best friend in far more humiliating circumstances. And her friend looked more worried than amused.

"Blair!" Serena rushed forward.

"Hey S." Blair blinked up at her, trying to appear non-chalant.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Waiting for the nurses to serve my tea…what does it look like I'm doing." Blair rolled her eyes and reached for her best friend with one hand, the other reaching for the hem of her hospital gown which had ridden up. "I fell, dammit. Help me up before someone comes in."

"What were you thinking about?" Serena maneuvered around the other woman, trying to get a grip on her but afraid to do something to hurt her friend.

"What was I thinking…I was wondering where you were…probably too busy flirting it up with Dr. Feelgood." Blair accused, holding onto Serena's arms and feeling as weak as a newborn. Her legs were completely useless and her arms vibrated with weakness and nerves as she held on to Serena.

"Dr. Feel who?"

"Will…my cute doctor who I sent looking for you not ten minutes ago." Blair told her.

Serena smiled, "Will, huh?"

"Don't change the subject…" Before she could further badger the blonde woman any further or get back into the hospital bed, two nurses and the handsome doctor himself were coming through the door.

The nurses regarded her in disapproval and hovered at Serena's back, trying to get around the blonde to get their wayward patient to bed themselves. It was Dr. Will who came to the rescue.

"Pardon me, Ms. Van der Woodsen." He lifted Blair up before she knew what he was up to. She was fighting with the hem of her hospital gown again, even as he deposited her back in the middle of her hospital gown.

Embarrassed at the entire situation she avoided the doctor's twinkling eyes and turned her attention to Serena who watched with sudden interest.

"Dr. Will, huh." Blair heard her best friend murmur softly.

Blair shot a warning glare.

"Ms. Waldorf, do we need to have another talk about the call button? When I said for you to stop pressing it every ten minutes I didn't mean to leave off with us at all. If you needed help with something you should have rung for one of us." One of the nurses chastised, reaching for Blair's sore arm so that she could get Blair hooked up to the IV once more.

"It's fine, Maddie." Will told the nurse. "I'll take care of that. I'm sure you have other patients to see to." He turned that charming smile on the older woman who'd gone toe-to-toe…sort of.. with Blair earlier on just what her duties did and did not consist of.

Not as if she'd asked the woman to cook her a full service breakfast. She'd just let her know that Waldorfs did not eat the crap that they'd brought to her and "yes" tea would've been nice as would a magazine or even the paper.

Blair didn't realize that she was glaring at the older woman until she turned back on Blair, the woman's frowning disapproval back in full force. Damn woman didn't know who she was dealing with…that look had nothing on Eleanor Waldorf on her worst days.

"Fine. She's all yours." The nurse muttered, dragging the younger nurse along with her.

"Don't mind Maddie. She's a sweetheart. Now I'd ask what you thought you were doing but I'm pretty sure that I have a good idea."

"She fell." Serena supplied.

"S." Blair rolled her eyes skyward. Her flush going redder than before. Of course she'd fallen. He'd have to be a complete idiot not to know that. Still, she didn't need Serena showcasing that fact.

He stepped back, his eyes studying her from the tip of her bare toes to the top of her head. It wasn't like before, he was in full-doctor mode, still Blair fought the urge to yank her hospital gown down even further though she was 'modestly' covered to just about her knees. "You hurting anywhere?"

"Just my pride." And my butt…but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"Sure?"

She offered a too bright smile, "Positive."

"I want to check your ankle for bruising or swelling. You weren't supposed to be on your feet yet. You're not body's not strong enough at this point."

"Oh, believe me. Message sent and received." Blair sighed as he moved to the bottom of the bed and cool hands, gingerly massaged and tested the smooth flesh of her ankles.

"You're going to need to take better care of yourself, Blair. You may be small but your body's still weak and you're bones are as fragile as a newborn baby's." Those gentle hands continued their probing.

She met Serena's eyes over his shoulder.

He said, "You need to remember that it's been five years almost and your body isn't used to the exertion and strain that you'll be putting it through."

"Well," Serena piped up, "Chuck and Harold did bring in that physical therapist for her at least once a week. That'll help for a quicker recovery, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Waldorf told me about that. Excellent thinking on his part." Will said, his eyes never looking up to meet Serena's, even as she came from behind him and moved to her best friend's side.

"Yeah, B." Serena said, "Your Dad and _Chuck _never gave up on you coming out of it. _Chuck_ made sure you had the best of care."

Blair rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh. What was going in that blonde head? Did she want Dr. Will's flirty attention? Blair's dark brows arched in question. As usual she was ignored. It was getting old. Really old.

"She okay?" Serena cleared her throat, glancing at Blair's foot. "Can't see any swelling from here."

"She's fine. But no more stunts like that." He said, turning back to Blair. "Not unless you want to extend the timetable on your recovery with healing up unnecessary broken bones and bruises. You'll be seeing a physical therapist here before I release your case…so just give it and yourself some time to get stronger. Okay?"

Blair sighed, her words given breezily, "Fine." He didn't move, but seemed to wait. "Okay. Okay. I promise."

"Good. Now if you ladies will excuse me." He turned and left them.

Both women watching as he left the room. Serena looked at Blair and demanded, "Okay. What was that all about?"

Blair frowned, "I don't know what you mean."

Serena shook her head, glancing back at the closed hospital door with incredulous eyes. "Dr. Feelgood, huh. You're lucky that Chuck didn't walk in on that little _examination_."

Opening her mouth with a quick retort, Blair cleared her throat, considering her words before she said softly. She might not be able to come right out and ask Chuck where they stood, but her best friend could give her some idea. "And so what if he did…you think he'd have a problem with it?"

"Um, yeah. I think that's a pretty mild way to put it. Yes, he would have something to say about you flirting with…_Will_." Serena said.

Trying not to smile, Blair said, "_I _wasn't flirting and I can't help it if the good doctor has excellent taste. So you think Chuck would've been jealous."

Serena smiled, "Oh my god. You are shameless, B. The idea of Chuck all green-eyed over the doctor's touchy-feely approach has you…giddy. Look at you."

"Does not." She tried to glare but instead found herself fighting smile curving her lips. Only half-feigning her impatience, she demanded. "Where is he anyway? Taking another call…I suppose." Now Blair was the one feeling the bite of the green-eyed monster, her mood suddenly crashing just as surely as she'd fallen to the floor minutes before. She turned to Serena, reaching for her hand. "S, I need to ask you something. I need to ask you something and you have to be completely honest with me…okay?"

Serena damn her didn't answer immediately as if she knew the bent of Blair's thoughts. She looked away before turning to B with resolution in her eyes, ready for the truth, Blair hoped. "Ask away."

"He's keeping secrets…already…he lied to me. There were these mysterious phone calls all night and he told me they were business but I don't think so….S, tell me the truth." Blair dragged in a fortifying breath, her nails digging into her palms. "Did he meet someone? When I was sleeping? I know I have no claim on him but did he fall in love with someone else…"

Serena looked at her…her expression one of complete disbelief and then her face cleared and the bitch actually laughed. Laughed in the face of Blair's fear and very valid concerns. Blair's reaction to her laughter must've shown in her darkening expression because Serena was immediately remorseful. "Oh God. I'm sorry." Serena said, trying to catch her breath enough to speak. "I didn't mean to laugh but B you have no idea how offbase you are…"

Okay, that was good, right. Still, she searched Serena's expression, looking for the lie that Serena had been prepared to give her just minutes ago. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes, B. Chuck is devoted to three things…his job…the girls…and you. And believe me when I say that it isn't in that order."

Blair nodded, "But wait. What about the phone calls…if that wasn't from some jealous girlfriend then who…"

"Nate!" Serena blurted and then covered her mouth as if she wished she could take it back.

"Nate?" Now she was confused. Nate had been calling all night. Why was he calling and why would Chuck lie about it. "_Serena." _Blair uttered the soft, familiar demand that called for answers.

"B…I shouldn't."

"Yes, you should. Now spill. What do you know?"

Serena looked torn.

"Serena?!"

The blonde looked toward the hospital door as she wanted to make a dash for it, or expected rescue to appear at any moment. "Serena Cecillia Van der Woodsen. Tell me. What do you know?"

What did she know? God the wealth of secrets that she knew were bogging her down and Serena was suddenly wishing that she didn't know any of them. Serena looked at her best friend and thought of all that they'd been through. And she thought of her promise to her brother. Dammit. What did she know? What plausible reason could Nate have for calling Chuck all damn night when he was with the woman he loved. Serena closed her eyes and let the truth spill forth, "Vanessa's cheating on Nate with Carter."

Blair's mouth dropped open. "Oh my effing God."

"I know!"

"What the hell is it with this guy? Oh wow. That's like the last thing I would've expected you to say."

You and me both, Serena thought, feeling better to at least have this one thing to share. "I found out last night and Nate doesn't know yet."

"Why the hell not?"

"She wants to tell him herself…so I'm giving her time to do it." Serena said.

"You're being far too nice about this."

"Blair. He shouldn't hear it from some third party."

Been there done that. Blair sighed, her expression thoughtful as she rested back against her pillows. "I suppose you have a point. He should hear the truth from her. So he's really been calling Chuck…poor Natie. He doesn't deserve that. I know we all messed up before, but nobody deserves that from the person they've married." She looked at Serena. "You sure Chuck's not seeing someone? Five years is a long time. Look what happened with Nate and Vanessa…wait. Nevermind. Forget I even started to think that comparison…"

"B, you've got nothing to worry about. You're his one and only, remember?"

"That was a long time ago." She said.

"Yeah, well the more some things change…the more others stay exactly the same."

"Like you and Dan." Blair smiled. "How is he by the way? Recovering from his mugging."

Serena smiled and shrugged, not wanting to lie to her best friend. Chuck had better find some answers and soon.

**ஐTBCஐ**

* * *

**A/N:** Okay I know some of you were waiting for more couply interactions. Hope this whetted your tastebuds a bit for what's coming next. This continues to be a C/B story of mystery and love, exploring CB's complicated relationship and reconnecting…as well as N/V & D/S trying to muddle their way through their own set of troubles. With Georgina, Eleanor, and a new flirty doctor thrown into the mix…promise things get very interesting. As always I want to know what you guys are thinking. Nothing but love…will update asap. Got a few things to hopefully keep us busy during this last long week until the hiatus is FINALLY over. :D

Courtneyஐ


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** So here's the next chapter. It's super long and would've been way longer if Wifey hadn't spoken some sense. Meaning I'd still be writing on and on otherwise and you wouldn't be able to read it. So yay Wifey. Please forgive any mistakes or grammar faux pas that I may have missed in my mad rush to get this posted. One more day a new ep. :yay: Again your words and thoughts always mean a lot to me. Love you guys. Much love to all my girls and big kiss to my Wifey and our Baby D.

**Chapter 18ஐ**

* * *

Hands shoved in his pockets, Chuck watched the floors zoom by on his ride back up to Blair's hospital room. He wondered how Serena was faring with Blair and her three Dads…and Eleanor. That woman was coming back to New York. God help them all. Chuck still wasn't sure how he felt about her news.

Blair would love having her mother in her life. He was grateful for having Lily to turn to. Lily and Dorota both, actually, during those moments when he hadn't a fucking clue what the hell he was doing. He was glad for that first year that they'd still lived at the Van der Bass apartment.

Between taking over his father's company, Blair's coma, and being responsible for those two innocent little babies. More than once his father's doubts and Eleanor's words over those first few months of Kat and Evie's lives, would loop in his head. Making him unsure of every step. Making him doubt and second guess until he was sick of himself.

His father's final absolution, putting his beloved company in Chuck's control had gone a long way, healing old scars and insecurities but Eleanor's words would rip them anew. He hated her for that. For keeping him away from Blair. For Evie being away from the family that loved and wanted her for those first few months of her life. He hated for the firsts in his daughter's life that he'd missed. Everytime Kat had done something new…smiling or okay so maybe she'd just been passing gas, but she'd looked up with those sweet brown eyes, the sweet smell of milk and baby powder on her soft skin. He'd hold their oldest daughter, awed and hurt because he couldn't do the same with their little Evie.

Blair would hate her mother if she ever knew. It'd break her heart to know how Eleanor had taken and how she'd given up all hope. A part of Chuck wished like hell that she'd go back to London and never come back, but he knew that would hurt Blair just as much as the truth would.

The elevator dinged, opening onto Blair's floor. He maneuvered around the others in the crowded elevator and could've sworn that one little old lady pinched him on the ass but when he looked around she seemed overly focused on cleaning dirt from beneath her nails.

He shook his head, trying not to smile.

Chuck started walking down the hallway and spotted Blair's doctor coming from her room. His first instinct was to call out. Now would be the time to have that conversation that he was dreading. Telling Blair's doc about McCarty. The truth roped his throat like a noose. He started to call out to the man as he headed off in the opposite direction.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, Daddy. Bye Daddy." He heard the steady patter of running feet, more than one pair and they were coming up behind him quickly. His head whipped around and he barely got a look at two determined faces as they raced past him, their long brown curls flying in their wake and Dorota quick on their heels.

Poor Dorota raced after them, "_Girls_, we say no racing inside, remember. You could fall and hurt yourself."

"But it's fun." Evie called out over her shoulder, not a pause in her stride as she tried to keep up with her big sister.

"Not inside, girls." Dorota tried again, her breathing labored and expression, long suffering. "You are young ladies and young ladies do no…"

Neither of his daughters listened. Kat whooped in triumph, grinning from ear-to-ear while Evie stuck on her tongue, crossing her arms.

"You cheated." Evie accused. Chuck was too far away but he was sure he saw that jaw firm into a stubborn line and he just knew she was glaring a hole into her sister's forehead.

Kat wasn't fazed, she merely shrugged. "You looked. You shouldn't have. I won." She told her sister in a calm, even tone. One that her twin never seemed to have mastered.

Dorota interrupted before the girls could really gear up. "Kat. Evie. No more fighting. You don't want to disturb your mama, do you?"

The brewing war of wills, deflated just in that instant as they both shook their heads, dark curls framing their almost identical heart-shaped visages.

"Come. She probably already hear you." Who on the floor hadn't? "She'll be happy to see you." Dorota opened the door and ushered the two girls inside.

All the while, Chuck just stood there, not sure if he should be laughing or not.

"And they're all yours. All three of them" Another voice came from behind him. "Four counting Dorota. All that estrogen under one roof. God, at least I didn't have it that bad. I only had to deal with Mom and Serena."

Chuck turned to see his brother, shaking his head and grinning. Holding on a garment back across one arm and the squirming armful that was Alex as the little boy made his bid for freedom. The little boy tried shimmying down and out of Eric's hold.

"Yes, I seem to recall those early days."

"Sweet relief when you and Bart moved in. Seriously."

"Here, let me help you with that." Chuck made the grab for the small, squirming body as Eric tried to hold on to both the little boy and the garment back. "Got him. What's up Alex, my man?"

Alex didn't smile his usual greeting for his Uncle Chuck, instead he ordered, "Put me down. Wanna go wit Kat and EB."

"I'll take you."

"Wanna run, too." The boy said.

"All right, but you'll get in trouble with Dorota."

Now the boy grinned and nodded. "Put me down." He said again and beginning squirming in earnest, until Chuck set him on his feet. He ran off, following the path that his older cousins had taken, leaving his uncles to follow at a slower pace. Dorota stepped back into the hallway, raising an eyebrow at the laughing child.

She scooped him up and carried him inside with her.

Chuck slowed his step, "Have fun on the drive over?"

"Picture what you just witnessed in a confined space…in mid-day traffic…the day after Christmas." Eric said.

"Hey that's just a regular day…_Uncle_ Eric." Chuck turned to his brother, eyeing the garment bag. "That for me."

Eric nodded, "Yup. As requested. A change of clothes. Your shaving kit. And I left those briefs and reports from your secretary in the limo."

"Eric, my good man. You are a lifesaver."

"I know." The younger man laughed, his expression sobering as he studied Chuck. "Listen. I, uh, I was actually wondering what type of condition I'd find you in this morning."

Chuck merely looked at him. Uncomprehending.

"Serena was out for blood last night. More specifically. Yours." Eric said, only half joking. He'd been worried half the night, wondering what was happening with his sister and the man who was his brother in everyway but through blood. Sometimes, he felt almost, if not more close to Chuck than Serena and most definitely with his own mother. He was family no matter what. "I was worried." Eric admitted.

"No need, Eric. Sis and I came to an amiable agreement. Found common ground, if you will." Chuck told him.

Eric was quiet for a moment. "You want to talk about it?"

Fuck. Not E, too. He didn't want to spin a web of half-truths with his little brother now, too. Instead he answered, "Not right now. But I promise. One of these days soon. You, me and Nathaniel are going to get sodding drunk off our asses and I'll tell you all about it."

"You sure?"

"For now. I'm sure." Please understand, Chuck willed silently.

He hated the very idea of hurting the younger man. His brother. His family. Eric, Lily, and Serena had knitted together surrounding him and supporting him when he'd wanted to push the world away. After he'd shoved away, everyone that he'd ever cared about. Everyone who'd ever given a damn about him. Once he'd come home, they didn't hold it against him. They stood by him while he ousted his traitorous uncle. They'd helped him with premmie Kat, once he finally got the go ahead to bring her home from the hospital and they were with him during the hardwon fight to track down Evie and get her back where she belonged.

Damn he didn't want to be keeping secrets from his brother and if anyone tried coming at him through the younger man, Chuck knew he'd been apt for violence.

Eric didn't demand the truth as his sister had done. He merely shrugged. "Just give me a call and I'll be there. Drinks on you, of course."

"Of course."

"So I take it from the pile of work that you had your secretary amass and the extra clothes…that you'll be spending another night in Blair's room."

"You'd be right." Chuck quickened his step, suddenly anxious to shave the dark stubble from his jaw and slip on something that wasn't wrinkled beyond all redemption. He could shower in Blair's postage stamp of a bathroom. He was smiling when he walked into the room, but wariness crept up on him when he saw that it was just Blair and Serena. Or at least it had been before Dorota and the children descended.

Blair watched him, her expression unreadable. But then she smiled, scooting over on the bed. Her expression becoming pained, she brought a hand to the soft curve of her ass.

"What's wrong?" The fresh surge of lust took a backseat to worry. Chuck shoved the garment bag back at his brother and hurried over to her.

"Nothing. I'm perfectly fine." She told him.

Serena snorted, earning a death glare from Blair and a look of pure interest and speculation from Chuck.

"Sis. Something I need to know about?"

She answered after a pointed look from Blair that completely belied the shake of that blonde head. "Nope." Serena said, trying not to smile.

"See. Now come sit down beside me." Blair moved again, only more gingerly this time, leaving him space for him. The room filled with the sound of activity and laughter from the girls who played with their little cousin. "Oh my God." She pulled Chuck down beside her and out of her line of vision and then she was reaching across him. "Eric!!"

Chuck tried to lean back as far back against the pillow as he could as the two proceeded to sandwich him between them, tears and smiles passing between them.

"It's good to see you, Blair." Eric pulled. "You just have no idea."

"Maybe an inkling. But it's good to see you, too." She ruffled his blond hair. "God look at you. You got tall. How'd you get tall? Are you wearing lifts or something?" She laughed, "God, you were always cute but look at you."

"Blair, I'm still gay, you know." Eric joked, "But keep the flattery coming."

She was glad to see him, but it was as bittersweet as everything else.

Another testament of lost time. He wasn't her little Eric anymore. Serena's sweet little brother, constantly underfoot. He'd had a late growth sprout, as tall as his Amazon of a sister. Well not quite but his shoulders were broader and pale blond bristles covered the line of his jaw in a light beard.

Blair didn't realize that she'd been squeezing Chuck's hand until he squeezed back in one…two quick pulses. She smiled at him, bringing his hand to her mouth for a quick kiss. She didn't miss the looks exchanged by Serena and Eric. Or the one that had passed between Chuck and Serena. Blair poked him in the side. "So, Bass. Where's Natie?"

"I honestly haven't a clue." Sure he was probably riding with Humphrey to the Palace or stopping at the hotel first for his things. Chuck couldn't be very sure.

"Listen, B. Catch up with Dorota. Talk to Eric and the girls. I'm going to get cleaned up."

Blair watched him for a moment, then she nodded. "I wasn't going to say anything, but that might not be such a bad idea." She wrinkled her nose at his unusually unkempt appearance, plucking at the wrinkled fabric of his dress shirt.

"Your candor is appreciated as always, Waldorf." He brushed a quick kiss across the soft plane of her cheek, then nuzzling his stubble covered jaw, gently scrapping. "Be good, okay? Dorota, tell B about your new boyfriend. He works for the Afflecks."

"Oh, really?" Blair's attention went to her maid's reddened cheeks. "And here I always thought you had a crush on Arthur." Dorota's eyes widened and she glanced away, just not quickly enough for Blair to miss the telling look in her eyes. Ohmigod. Arthur and Dorota. And she'd missed it.

Chuck grabbed the garment bag up and hurried for the bathroom before Blair could get distracted from her little interrogation.

"Miss Blair, you no want to hear about that. Very boring. The girls want to show you…they read your favorite book. Well, they make up story from pictures…but they know some words, too." He heard the maid say as she gathered her charges and pushed them at their mother. Panic lost out to the pride in her voice as she told Blair, "They are top of their class."

"Their kindergarten class." Chuck couldn't resist calling over his shoulder, grinning. Dorota made it sound as if they'd skipped grade school and were working on their Senior thesis.

"Advance curriculum, Mr. Chuck. My girls…very smart." He could almost feel the glare searing the back of his spine, her accent becoming more pronounced as it was wont to do when she was feeling irritated with him.

Laughing he let himself into the little closet that doubled for a bathroom. He glanced around and made a face at the poor excuse for a shower inside. Chuck was definitely going to have to see about at least getting her moved to a bigger room…something if she was staying…if they were staying until Chambers and company cleared her transfer.

~ஐ~

Nate glared at the back of Dan's head, as the other man stared outside, his nose all but pressed up against the glass. Their cabbie was as quiet as she'd been over the past hour and a half, content—for the moment—with the two hundred dollars that Nate had shoved at her. Granted the cabbie hadn't been jazzed about driving all the hell over New Jersey with no clear destination in mind and Nate was sure that she would hit them up for more cash before they made it out of that backseat.

What the fuck had he let himself be talked into? Nate wondered not for the first time since embarking on their fruitless mission for the surviving family members of Richard Franklin. He couldn't believe that Chuck's father wouldn't have covered his tracks and just moved the entire damn family to the other side of the world. Still, Humphrey had a point. This had to be the missing link…Dan hadn't been attacked for nothing yesterday.

"This is it. I'm sure of it." Dan banged lightly against the door, laughing in triumph.

Nate wasn't impressed, "Yeah, really? You're sure."

"Definitely."

"Okay. But you said the same about the past three houses…"

Dan glanced around. His excitement dimming somewhat as he tried to concentrate. The latter hours of the previous day were still fuzzy as hell, but he tried to push past the haze. He looked at the other houses, sidewalks shoveled neatly…as a matter of fact…they were all neat and clean of the blanket of snow that he remembered his boots crunching across, as he tried getting into the house from the file…_that _house? He was almost sure of it. His eyes fell on the wreath on one of the neighboring door and then to the van parked pulling in to the driveway across the street. Bumper stickers littered the back end, one proclaiming that "My cat's smarter than your Honor Student Congressman." Did he remember that from yesterday? He did…didn't he?

The woman getting out of the van glanced at the cab and it's occupants with a curious expression.

"I'm going to talk to her." Dan said, reaching for the handle.

"What?" Nate stopped him. "What do you mean 'talk to her'?"

"Exactly what I said. Look all this aimless driving around has gotten us nowhere so far. I'm pretty sure that this is the place."

"It looks deserted." Nate said.

Dan frowned. "Who shoveled the sidewalk?"

"The neighbors."

"Look, let me talk to her and then I promise we're out of here." Dan said, turning to get out and finding the space where the woman had been standing empty and the front door of her close just closing. "Come on…you can flash your badge."

"Yeah, so it can get back to my Lieutenant and Miller that I was out here with you. No thanks." He said but found himself starting from the car as well to follow Dan who was already out of the car without a backward glance. Nate paused turning to the cabbie, "We won't be long. Stick around and there's another hundred in it for you."

The young woman thought it over before holding out her hand.

"No way. Not until we come back out."

She looked him over, her dark eyes filled with interest. "Fine, but I want half now and maybe we can hook up later for a drink."

Nate found her cute enough with her cap of shirt, spiky brown hair and full lips. Chuck's earlier words echoed in his ears of leaving behind self-pity and indulging in the "pleasurable distraction" of meaningless sex. He felt tempted by the momentary lure. But he needed more than a distraction from the disaster area that his life had become. He knew Chuck meant well but he'd been blind not to notice that his best friend…the original playboy of the UES hadn't exactly been practicing what he was preaching in quite a longtime.

Nate cleared his throat, "Just the ride tonight. Thanks." He flashed the wedding band that he still hadn't taken off. At least the thing still had some uses. He grabbed fresh bills from his wallet. Before handing them over, he tore the bills in half.

"Hey!" She stared at him open-mouthed as he literally dropped half of the bills into the palm of her hand.

"Stick around and the rest is all yours." He pocketed what he hadn't given her and left to follow Humphrey who was already standing outside the screen door. He shook his head as he got closer and caught the tail end of the bull Dan was feeding to the incredulous woman looking at them.

"…our old college roommate, Charlie Trout. I could've sworn that this was the address." Dan pointed to the house across the street. "I left the paper with the address back our hotel."

The woman raised a brow, giving them another "once over." "Your hotel. I see." She looked back and forth between the two young men, her eyes speculative and the tension seeming flow from her as she seemed to feel more comfortable. As if they represented less of a threat.

Nate went with it, threading his arm through Dan's, inconspicuously grinding his foot into Dan's when he started to pull away. "He's so forgetful. I told him three times to grab the paper off of the nightstand. Men." Nate smiled boyishly, trying to appear as harmless as possible.

She smiled at Nate, waving off Dan. "Of course. Charlie Trout, did you say?"

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Nate smiled toothily. "Yeah, good old Charlie."

"Is he…uh." She motioned back and forth between Nate and Dan. "Did one of you date this Charlie Trout?"

Dan sighed, leaning forward as if in confidence, "Actually, _he" _He tipped his head toward Nate, "and Charlie have quite the colorful history. But we've put that behind us and we're all great friend again. Right, honey?...Honey."

"Right. Great friends." Nate said trying not to grit his teeth, "That's part of the reason why this visit today is so important. Reconnecting and all…"

Dan coughed, covering choked laughter.

"And of course we don't have the paper with the address and going on _his _memory has gotten us nowhere. Charlie said that he was staying with his cousins the Franklins."

"Hmm, now that's strange."

"Not the Franklin house, is it?" Nate cursed silently.

The woman frowned, "Actually, the Franklins have owned that house forever but no the strange part is that no one's actually lived there in almost five years. The old woman got too sick to be able to stay their on her own and her damn children were off living their own lives by then. Last I heard, they put her in a home up in Buffalo."

"Wait this is the house? The Franklins?" Nate asked, stepping away from Dan, forgetting their ruse for the moment.

That distrust began seeping back into her expression, "Yes, it is. Strange coincidence. Your friend _Charlie_…he's staying with folk with the same name. I don't think I know anyone else around here with that name and I know pretty much everybody." She latched the flimsy lock on her screen door and aimed an accusing look between them. "You two are about as much of a couple as me and my cat. What the hell are you two playing at?"

Dan held up his hands, "No games. We honestly are looking for the Franklins."

"I think you two ought to leave before I call the police." She said, "You two are up to nothing good. Charlie Trout." She harrumphed at the last.

"But…" Dan started forward.

Nate interrupted, "That won't be necessary. We're leaving. Thank you." He and Dan walked away before she had the chance to change her mind about calling in the NJPD.

"Wait. She was going to tell us." Dan trudged away from the door, keeping up despite his desire to turn back around and demand all the answers that the woman could give them.

"She's not going to tell us anything else." Nate told him, "Charlie Trout? Dan, really? You couldn't come up with a better cover story?"

"You were certainly running away with it, _honey._" Dan grinned, reaching out to pinch Nate's cheek in a playful manner.

Nate swatted at his hand and slipped back into the cab. "At least the trip wasn't completely wasted. We got confirmation that this was the house you found yesterday."

"Which I already assured you of."

"Sorry, but your memory of yesterday's events has been less than trustworthy. Come on, we'd better get you back to the Palace and get you settled." He reached into his pockets for the torn bills as Dan slammed the door shut. Nate leaned forward and held out the bills for their driver. "Thanks for waiting."

"No problem," She said, politely. Her eyes meeting his in the rearview mirror. The flirtatious light in her dark eyes was gone and in its place was pure speculation as she looked between Nate and Dan.

Oh…that was great. Just fucking great. First the Franklins' neighbor pegged them for a couple and now the hot cabdriver who'd wanted to "have drinks" or provide that "pleasurable distraction" Chuck had spoken of, was looking at him as if he'd imagined the entire flirtatious exchange.

Smiling, he said, "Listen. About what you said before. Drinks definitely sound like a good idea."

She looked away, seeming fully intent on the stretch of road ahead.

He heard Dan's smothered chuckle and glared at the other man.

Dan shrugged. He mouthed. "Your fault."

"Um.." Nate was at a loss as he turned back to her. Trying to meet the dark eyes, studiously avoiding his in the rearview. "Actually, about what you saw before…"

"Hey, I see and hear a lot of crazy shit in this cab. You don't have to explain anything to me." Her mouth curved into a smile, but she still didn't meet his eyes. "You and your boyfriend have a right to your lives. I'm a strong believer in that." She told him. "And cutie that you are, I'm just not into threesomes. Sorry."

This time Dan couldn't hold back the laughter choking him and it filled the cab. The driver shrugged and turned up her radio, leaving Nate to settle back against the seat. Well, damn.

~ஐ~

Freshly shaven and hair still damp from his shower, Chuck felt a million times better once he stepped out of the bathroom adjoining Blair's hospital room. He'd exchanged his clothes from yesterday with those that his brother had picked up from the apartment.

His girls looked up, approval in their eyes.

Kat nodded.

"Much better, Daddy." Evie smiled, giving him the A-Ok sign.

His eyes went to his other girl. Her brown eyes looked him over, missing nothing of his appearance. "I don't know, sweetie. There was something disreputable about Daddy all wrinkled and stubbled." Blair's mouth curved, her eyes dancing as they met his.

"What's disrep…hmm." Kat frowned, ever curious.

Sexy. Brooding. Smirking. Chuck Bass. Blair didn't say any of that. With concentrated effort she forced herself to look at from that face. He waited as expectantly as the girls. She looked at Kat. "Disreputable…and I promise…Mommy will explain in a few years."

She'd never really been able to talk to Eleanor when it came to boys. Though for years they'd both had it all planned out. Nate and the Vanderbilt were the "happily ever after" that she'd written out for herself. Eleanor had been content to have Blair out of her hair while she buried herself in Waldorf Designs and her social circles.

Blair had no intention of letting her relationship with her daughters ever becoming like the one she had with Eleanor. Granted she'd let them have their own lives and wouldn't be overly interfering but she'd be better than Eleanor had been. It was already better. She couldn't ever remember curling up beside her mother…reading to her or having her do the same. It was her second waking day, and she was already ahead by miles.

"Can't we know now?" Evie said.

"Yes, _Mommy_. Tell us all now just what you meant." Chuck came to sit down beside her. The twins, listened intently from their spots at the foot of the bed. Chuck lowered his voice, "Tell you what, Waldorf. Why don't you just whisper it in my ear and then…"

"Tell _you _what, Bass…why don't you wait and in a few years we can have a talk with the girls about the birds and the bees and disreputable young men."

Serena and Eric both snorted, laughing and Dorota wrung her hands, looking back and forth between Blair and Chuck.

"B, guess you and Chuck didn't have that talk yet. He's declared the girls single for life." Serena informed her best friend.

"He did, did he? Interesting." Blair shook her head, "Good luck with that one, Bass."

"Luck will be wholly unnecessary. Trust me." Chuck gritted his teeth, his jaw flexing.

His expression was so cute and obstinate that Blair couldn't resist teasing the notorious womanizer and now father of not one but two daughters. Karma was quite the bitch when she wanted to be. He was thinking ahead, making plans for an all out lockdown and the girls weren't even out of kindergarten yet. God, this was certainly going to be an experience and a half, she smiled inwardly, contemplating the future and raising their little girls. Together.

No matter what they decided about being together or not being together. They were both responsible for making decisions and protecting their little Kat and Evie. That was one bond never to be broken. The very idea warmed her, filling up a place that had been so empty during the span of her pregnancy. Surrounded by her family and his, but missing…_him._

Meeting his eyes, she wondered, "So what's the plan, Bass? Are you going to lock them in their rooms or…no wait. I know, have Dorota playing chaperone and bodyguard?"

"Well…" Chuck murmured.

"Oh my God. " Blair laughed, "Um, you do remember how these two were…um.." She lowered her voice, not wanting to invite another questions from the twins. She finished, "_conceived_."

Apparently she hadn't spoken low enough to escape a scandalized, "Miss Blair!" from Dorota, which had the Van der Woodsen siblings falling into a fresh bout of laughter.

Blair rolled her eyes, meeting her maid's narrowed eyes. "What…come on. Theirs wasn't exactly a Virgin birth."

"Far from if I recall correctly," Chuck's hushed tones poured over, sexy and smirking, making her shiver. "And boy do I …in vivid detail."

Her eyes darted back to his, and read the memories of that night. Their night together in the limo after the Snowflake Ball. Blair's breath caught in her throat.

Eric interrupted, smiling despite his words. "Guys dial it back, will you?"

Blair cleared her throat, pretending for all she was worth that if they had been alone, that she wouldn't be all over him. And by the look in his eyes, the Basstard knew it quite well. Fine. "Remember it well do you?"

"Yessss." His smirking answer tickled her ear.

"Seriously, you two. A room. Get one. Now."

Ignoring her best friend, she turned on Chuck, triumph warring with desire. "Good then you understand my point."

"No." He retorted. "You just made mine. They won't be riding alone in the backs of limos with randy little boys. Dorota…"

"Seemed to have no luck in keeping you from sneaking into my room at odd hours of the night."

"Well, what can I say…Dorota always did have a soft spot for me." Chuck said.

"Actually, Miss Blair leave orders that you…"

Eyes wide, Blair swung around to face her maid who appeared instantly contrite under the heavy weight of her mistress' brown eyes.

Chuck latched on, pinning Dorota with his own stare, rife with speculation and laughter, "_Miss Blair _ordered that I what…"

"Nothing." Dorota stammered, smiling nervously as Blair motioned for her to zip it and Chuck urged her on. "Pssh…nothing?" She offered.

"Yes… nothing is right." Blair said.

Chuck ignored her, "Now, Dorota. Let's not forget that you work for me now. I pay your salary these days. Not your precious 'Miss Blair'."

The change in the maid was instantaneous. The meek, differential expression and her normally placid demeanor fell away as her head shot up. Eyes blazing. Finger pointing in Chuck's direction. She started firing off at in her native Polish tongue.

Fuck. Waves upon waves of irate, insulted Polish rolled over him, reminding him of his intentions to brush up on the language…a decision he'd made the very last time that the woman had decided to take out a piece of his hide.

He held up his hands in mock surrender, he glanced at the twin girls who'd been watching the byplay between them all like some great tennis match—their brown eyes bouncing back and forth, comprehending little of t he very grown up conversation. They did, however, understand when Daddy crossed Dorota and they were loving every second of the fallout. Their Uncle and Aunt right along with them. "Now, Dorota."

She didn't stop, instead she paced, ranting to the heavens. "Miss Blair." and heated glances in his direction thrown in every now and again.

"Nice work." Blair flashed him a self-satisfied glance. Her eyes widened now and again at the maid went on.

"What's she saying?" He demanded.

Blair cleared her throat, "You really don't want to know, Bass. Hmm. Um. Dorota. I'm sure that's not what Chuck meant at all and he's very sorry. Aren't you, Bass?" She elbowed him.

Rubbing his side, Chuck nodded, "Of course."

The plump, red-faced maid pinned him with a hard glare, "You pay for salary but I work _always_ for Miss Blair."

"Noted." He said, after Blair elbowed him again.

Then and only then did Dorota smile at him again, hiding behind that placid and differing mask. The woman was a hardass of the first order. "Good."

With the entertaining show that their Daddy and Dorota had been putting on for the so obliviously over, the girls piped up. Or Evie did claiming her parents' attention as she latched on to one of the few things about the adults' conversation that hadn't gone completely over her head.

"We're getting a room? Where? Are we going to visit Grandpa Harold again in France." The girl said.

Her sister's eyes went wide and then she smiled, "I call the window seat."

Chuck rolled his eyes. Damn and here we go.

"Nah-uh."

"Yea-huh." You got to seat there last time when Daddy took us to…" Kat turned to Chuck. "Where was it? You 'member…with the ladies in the colorful robes."

Blair raised a brow at that.

"Simmer down, Waldorf. It was Kyoto and I took the girls with me before school started." Chuck said, "I had business and wanted them with me. Evie, why would we fly to see Grandpa when he's here right now to see us?"

Evie tapped her mouth, thinking on it before nodding. "Okay…but what did Auntie S mean…"

"Auntie S was being silly, weren't you Serena?" Blair said.

"Better silly than inappropriate in front of the K-I-D-S." Serena retorted, lightly.

"And you and inappropriate are old friends." Blair responded, her tone overly sweet.

"Ladies, please." Chuck said.

Eric sat on the sidelines with Alex, who'd yet to do more than climb from his mother's lap to his Uncle's, peeking around at Blair with wary, but curious eyes. She offered him a genuine smile, waving and he buried his face in his Uncle's neck.

"Can we stay here tonight, too?" Kat asked. If they weren't going on a trip, then a sleepover would do.

The child's words reminded Blair of her own ideas on the subject the night before. She turned on the man beside her with pleading eyes, "Chuck."

"Good idea." Evie agreed, evidently over her earlier disagreement with her sister which was their way. Fight now. Play later. Play now. Fight later. Join forces against Daddy when they wanted their way. He knew the routine well enough.

"We'll be really, really good.

"Good girls…young ladies." Kat nodded, inspired by the light scolding from Dorota earlier in the elevator.

"And lots quiet." Evie promised, "Please, Daddy."

"Please. Please. Please."

All three of his girls smiled, their eyes demanding that he make it happen. He began to waver, "I don't know…I might not be able to get around the docs. You saw your doctor earlier when they found me in here this morning. Adding the girls into our little sleepover might rock the boat a little much."

Serena's brow furrowed and she met Blair's eye. "I don't know, Chuck. Maybe B can put in a good word or two with Dr. Will."

"Enough, Serena."

"Who's Dr. Will?" Chuck was asking.

"It doesn't matter. I'm sure that between us we can do some fast talking and get some extra beds…ooh…no…tents and a sleeping bag." Blair clamped her hands in excitement. "Serena can stay, too and Dorota…"

The maid made a pleased sound. "Oh, Miss Blair."

But Serena didn't sound very excited.

"Come on, S. We'd have a good time. We can do one another's nails and hair and watch movies."

The girls were all for that.

Chuck shook his head, "Be serious, Waldorf. This is a hospital. Not one of your annual slumber…"

"Soirees..they weren't slumber parties…they were soirees." She interrupted.

"Sorry. You know what I mean, though." Chuck said. "You can soiree to your heart's content when you get home."

Blair's heart stuttered at his words. Or that word. Home. So casually spoken. What home? With him and the kids? With her mother? "Um, well."

"Yay. When do you come home, Mommy?" Kat wanted to know, the wheels already turning in her head as she picked out and plotted all the things she'd show her mother once they got back to the apartment.

"You can sleep in our room." Evie said.

Blair didn't look at Chuck. She felt no stiffening or sudden tension in him at the implication of her coming home with them. What if she was wrong, though? Blair cleared her throat, "Um, well. Daddy and I will need to discuss a few things before we settle on anything."

Now she felt the tension, leech into him as he swung his head around and he frowned at her in confusion. "What's to discuss?"

"Well, earlier when my mother and I were talking…"

Serena cleared her throat loudly, almost as if in warning.

Blair was too intent on the change…the darkening in Chuck's expression as he waited for her to continue. Even Dorota shifted uncomfortably as if she knew what was coming. "It was just…she told me that I was always welcome to stay with she and Cyrus at their new apartment…if I wanted."

"Uh-oh." Eric murmured, and the adults in the room all fell quiet, as if waiting.

For what Blair really wasn't certain. Except, Chuck was doing that clenching his jaw thing which both annoyed and turned her on. Something was definitely up. "Um, guys. What?"

"So your mother…she asked you to come stay with her, did she?" Chuck voice was low and she didn't like the dangerous glint in his eyes. What the hell was going on with everyone?

"Yes, she did. But only after I told her that we hadn't really talked about it or decided anything." Blair defended her mother.

Eric was on his feet. "Kat. Evie. Why don't you guys come with me and we'll find…um…"

"Gift shop." Dorota was moving as well. "We can get surprise for your mama."

"I should come with you. Let's go Alex."

"Stay." The little boy shook his head, watching with rapt attention at the glaring match that had broken out between Chuck and Blair.

Eric shook his head, "Trust Uncle Eric. You don't really want to see this."

The room cleared out with the two estranged lovers barely being aware.

Chuck broke silence first, "So are you saying that you _want _to move in with your mother?"

"Of course that's not what I meant or said. Don't put words in my mouth, Basshole."

"Sorry, but that's what it certainly sounded like to me."

Blair's smile was anything but sweet, edging into lethal as she said "Good thing we're in the hospital then, isn't it. You can ask Dr. Will to check your ears for you."

Another mention of this Dr. Will. What the hell? Was she talking about that old fart Reeves who'd taken care of her after being admitted for the heartache. Or was she talking about Chambers…yes he remember seeing William on all the sheepskin lining the guy's office. Since when had Chambers gone from being Sir Ridiculous as she'd dubbed him the day before to Dr. Will.

He was going to ask, but her next words drove all thoughts of everything but her as she look up at him with that furious expression and guarded eyes that hid so many insecurities. She hugged her arms around her middle, making him want to replace them with his own.

"What are you doing, Bass?" She asked quietly, "Are you intentionally picking a fight so that I won't want to move in with you?"

Chuck scratched his ear, "Are you picking a fight so that you don't have to move in?"

"I asked you first, Bass."

"Answer me and I'll return the favor, Waldorf."

"Schoolhouse rules. _Chuck!_"

That was more like it he thought as she was back to glaring at him. He couldn't have helped his next actions even it he'd wanted to. It was as natural to him as breathing or smiling at her. His mouth curved and he cupped her cheek. "Fine. Here's my answer. Do I want you to come home with me?" He leaned forward and brushed his mouth against hers in the softest of kisses. "More than anything. Come." He opened his eyes, their noses grazing and her eyelids drooping and drugged.

"Hmm? Guess there's only one thing to be said in the face of that kind of request." She whispered.

"Yeah?"

Blair nodded. She pulled him close, hands buried in the hair at the nape of his neck. Her kiss wasn't soft but demanded. Unsatisfied by the tiny taste that he'd teased her with.

"Slow down, Waldorf."

"Not on your life." Blair told him.

Chuck pulled back despite her best efforts to hold him to her. "Hey. I'm not going anywhere and we've got all the time we could want now. Okay."

"Yes, but why waste any of it. The kids'll be back soon enough with Serena and the others. We can let Dorota practice being chaperone after that."

"Good point. She's got a lot of areas to improve on. They're not dating ever. No cotillions. No movie dates."

"Poor Chuck. We'll get through it…let's enjoy them for now. Enjoy this for now."

Chuck nodded, "I always knew you were one smart lady."

"I don't know about that. I got involved with you, didn't I?"

"Best move you ever made."

"Are you going to stop talking at any point and kiss me again because quite frank…" Blair words melted away, swept into oblivion by the gentle lap of Chuck's tongue, inviting her to savor that remembered taste of him.

God, but she'd missed this. Stop thinking so much and enjoy she commanded herself…kids…Serena…anyone coul…hmm. What had…it didn't matter. Nothing matter except the man wrapping her close.

~ஐ~

She was tired of her own company and with Serena's words playing a loop in her head and echoing in every corner of the house, Vanessa ending up on her sister's doorstep. Ready with a long overdue apology and looking for a shoulder to cry on.

Vanessa couldn't help laughing when her sister ended up echoing Serena's sentiments. Well minus the slap across the face. Vanessa's sister told her to come clean with Nate. If they had any chance of trying to come back from this disaster then she couldn't hold back. She'd have to tell him about Carter. Her insecurities. His grandfather.

By the time, Vanessa arrived at the Brownstone later in the day, she felt better. Her burden not completely gone but less than that suffocating weight that had seemed to have taken up permanent residence on her chest.

She didn't even blink twice when the text messages came through from Carter, wanting to know where she was. Vanessa didn't them without answering. Without even feeling tempted to answer him and allow herself to be seduced back into his bed. Another side effect of the truth coming out, that strange lure Carter seemed to have was losing it power over her.

Feeling better about herself and what had to be done, Vanessa let herself into the brownstone. She dropped her keys into the dish. She sighed, feeling the emptiness of the house settle in around her. It wasn't the end of the world she told herself.

"Late night?"

Vanessa's head came around, the nerve she'd been working up for the better part of the day shrank away to less than nothing. "Nate."

He leaned in the entranceway, the dormant fireplace cold and empty behind him.

Nate had arrived at the brownstone less than a hour earlier. Prepared to give Vanessa the silent treatment. Prepared to let her know just how much he hated her for breaking their love into a thousand pieces. His plans had been for nothing. When he'd arrived to the empty house, he'd felt the vicious swipe of jealousy across his chest.

His first thoughts _had _been that she'd spent the night with her boyfriend, whoever the bastard was, but then he remembered the Lieu and Miller's early morning visit.

That one thing shouldn't have made him feel better—except it had.

"I was at my sister's." Vanessa said

Her words making his knotted insides further loosen and offer relief that Nate didn't want to feel. He glared at her, "Is that code for 'just finished fucking my boyfriend'. I'm still learning these things, so you'll need to break it down for me."

"Nate, I was at my sister's. Here you want to call her…" She started to reach for her cellphone but thought better of letting him get his hands on it. With the way her luck had been going lately, Carter would take that exact moment to send another one of his text messages. Her hand settled on the cellphone in her pocket as if it would vibrate any minute her "nuisance" conjured by the very thought or suspicion. Nothing happened, though.

Nate was watching her as if he didn't know what to make of her.

"Call her." She repeated, glancing pointedly at the cordless phone sitting beside her housekeys.

He shook his head, backing away when she grabbed up the cordless phone and held it out to him. "You know what? At this point…it doesn't even matter. I don't give a damn where you were…who you were with, Vanessa."

"Nate." She sighed, "I don't want to fight with you."

"I'm not looking for one. I just came to pick up the rest of my stuff." He said, motioning to the bags sitting at the foot of the stairs. He'd brought down every single bag that he'd packed after first moving in with Chuck. Those bags had been her misery and her solace. Partly gone and broken away from her but still there. He hadn't been able to leave her, not really. Now he was there to finish it.

Nate watched her eyes flash to his luggage. Damn he should've just left right out the minute he'd gotten all of his shit from upstairs. But somehow he'd stayed. Not waiting for her. He wouldn't have done that, but he'd ended up in the livingroom. The scene of his unwarranted assault on Dan.

Before he'd heard her key in the front door, he'd been standing in front of the cold grate of the fire place. Nate wasn't sure how in the hell long he'd just stood there, looking into the empty space. He'd pocketed the silver spoon that he wouldn't let her rescue from last night's flames. The damn thing hadn't melted a bit. Sure it was black with ash and soot but a good cleaning would make it shine as it had before.

Too bad the same couldn't be said for his marriage. For his heart.

With Serena and her sister's words ringing in her ears, Vanessa dragged her eyes away from the bags to Nate's face. It was really done. They were over. Why bring Carter in now. What was the point? Serena wouldn't really tell him…she couldn't. They were already broken beyond repair and the blonde wouldn't really want her old friend hurt anymore than he already was.

Nate cleared his throat. "I moved out of Chuck's…I'm at the Palace…so if you happen to any more early morning visits from the people I work with…don't send'em to the apartment."

"Is everything okay? With work I mean…they really surprised me turning up like that…" She said, her thoughts slipping from their personal hell. Happy for the distraction.

At first she was sure that he wouldn't answer. "Everything's fine."

"They asked about Dan? And the mugging…did you ask your friends to look in things."

"Not really. Guess they're doing it on their own. I'd better go." He turned on his heel and hefted as much as he could carry at once, straps hanging over his shoulders and white-knuckled hands fisted around handles. Nate started around her still form.

Not bothering to turn and watch him go, Vanessa closed her eyes. _Don't Go. Don't Go. Dontgodontgodontgodontgo. _She silently begged. She prayed. She waited for the sound of the bags to hit the floor or the deadbolt being disengaged.

"Nate." She whispered, her voice paper-thin and unrecognizable to her own ears. Don't go. Please. She wanted to say. She fought the words to make them come. Her eyes squeezed shut she listened to the harsh sound of their breathing filling up the silence in the room. "I'm sorry. You have no idea how sorry." She said.

His voice was thick when he said, "Yeah, me too." He cleared his throat, once…twice. "I'll contact my lawyer once he gets back to the city with his family. You'll get to keep the house…and I'll make sure you're taken care of…"

Oh, of course. Leave it to him to bring it down to the almighty dollar. God, she didn't want anything from him. She could just hear his grandfather, telling Nate just how right he'd been about her after all. "If you could hear yourself right now..."

Silence fell between them for the briefest of seconds. Vanessa's breath clogged in her throat as she waited and then he was doing it. He was moving. The tread of his footsteps carrying him away from her. Vanessa turned around, watching as he started to leave. "Nate, wait. Don't go." There she'd said it. Relief didn't come with her words because she knew what needed to be said next.

He turned to faced her, expression wary. "What are you going to apologize again? Do you really want empty words? Do you just want to hear me say that I forgive you…because believe me…forgiveness is the last thing I'm feeling, Vanessa."

"I know." It hurt but she could accept that. Maybe he'd never be able to forget what she'd done. Let alone forgive. But he should know it all. Vanessa dragged in a deep breath. "We still need to talk."

"God," Nate rolled his eyes, remembering his earlier conversation with Dan outside the hospital. "What the hell is going on with people today? I don't want to talk. We've said everything there is to say…or rather…I did all the talking and compromising when you went off and brought someone else into our marriage."

"If you don't want to talk that's fine…but listen. I need to talk to you. I need to tell you…"

"That you're sorry. Yeah, we covered that."

"Would you stop interrupting me and let me tell you?" Her shoulders squared and intentions in her eyes, Vanessa took a step forward. "You want to hear this…"

Or maybe he didn't but she had to tell him. Here went nothing.

~ஐ~

Even after years of having Kat and Evie in his life, Chuck was always learning something new when it came to them and being their father. Case and point. When you were rock hard and wanted nothing more than to be making love to the woman who owned you body and soul, that was probably about the time when the heat of the moment would be doused in the cold, harsh reality of time and place.

Only it wasn't his daughters' small tones that piped up. Chuck wasn't sure how much time had passed. The world around them had no longer mattered, ceased to exist beyond Blair's hands buried in his hair and relearning the taste and feel of one another. A forceful clearing of the throat broke into their bubble of place out of time.

They ignored it, too wrapped up in one another. Too much to make up for.

It was Dorota's scandalized "Miss Blair" that finally forced the couple to come up for air.

Chuck closed his eyes, his forehead against Blair's. God, he'd forgotten what particularly bad timing the woman had. He supposed the habit could be taken as a point in his favor years from now. Operative words being "years from now."

Catching her own breath, Blair met Chuck's eyes and mentally willed her beloved maid to disappear. Five more minutes. Ten at most. That was all she needed. That would do for now.

"Blair, really." Eleanor's voice had them both groaning and rolling their eyes.

He pulled away first, making a slow withdrawal as he turned to see a mostly different welcoming party than the one that'd walked in on their sleeping forms, curled into one another that morning.

Cyrus and Harold both had one of the twins, the older men looking winded as if they'd just sprinted down the hallway with Evie and Kat on their backs. Chuck was more than certain that this was the case. Dorota, censorship and a warring softness in her expression, was trying to cover the twins' eyes from their parents' "lively" display.

"Oh, to be young again." Cyrus said, his eyes dancing merrily. "Leave them be, dear. As the great scribe so aptly put it, 'Absence from those we love is self from self—deadly banishment'."

"Darling, really. Now is not the time to be spouting poetry or…" She looked back at Chuck and Blair who'd were sitting up, hands unconsciously creeping together, fingers threaded and joined. "Or displays like the one we just walked in on."

Chuck couldn't help the smirk curling his lip. "Sorry, if we offend delicate sensibilities. We were just celebrating and I suppose…we may have gotten carried away." He shrugged, his expression and manner casual. From the corner of his eyes his tracked every nuance of Eleanor's expression. He spotted the immediate wash of curiosity at his words.

"Celebrating?" She murmured, her eyes sweeping back and forth between the couple and their joined hands. "Mind sharing with the rest of us…"

"Well, it's nothing really." Blair shrugged, ignorant of the undercurrents flowing between Chuck and her mother. "Mom, I know we were talking earlier about the possibility of my moving in with you and Cyrus after I get out of the hospital."

"You did?" Harold's eyes narrowed at that, shooting to Eleanor's face. She held his gaze, but had to look away, focusing on nothing and no one beyond her daughter's unguarded enthusiasm.

"Yes," Blair nodded, "But Chuck and I were talking and we thought that it would be better if I moved in with him and the girls."

The girls whooped excited to hear that they'd have their mother living with them. Their reaction making Blair feel even happier than she had over the past twenty minutes, though being with Chuck was different all together. The fact that these two children seemed to so readily accept her…to love her…was a high, an elation that she'd never known. Her shoulder brushing against Chuck's and the warmth of his hand wrapped around hers, Blair was beyond happy. She frowned surveying the people standing before her. They were all there…the people she loved most in the world. Well except Natie…and wait. Where was S.

"Eric, where's Serena?" She asked.

"Oh," Eric looked up blinking his eyes as if his thoughts had been consumed by something else entirely.

Blair frowned wondering if all was well with the younger man. Had he and his boyfriend had a fight or something? What could've put that troubled look in his eyes? "Hey, is…"

"Serena had to go." Seeing Blair's curious eyes on him, Eric tried to play it off. He smiled but it wasn't long before scrutiny fell on him from Chuck. "She said there was something that she needed to take care of but she'd call you tonight and she'd spoke to see you after work tomorrow." He stepped forward, "Listen, I need to head out myself."

"Okay," She hugged him back as he wrapped his arms around her, surprising her still with the differences in this new, grown-up Eric. "I'm really glad you came."

"Me, too."

"You'll have to bring your boyfriend back with you next time. "

"Consider it done." Eric pulled back and looked to his brother, "Chuck, walk me down."

The words were that of a casual request but Chuck was getting a far different vibe from the younger man's nervous behavior. Chuck saw that Blair wasn't in the least fooled either and she nudged him inconspicuously and motioned for him to follow Eric. Bossy woman. "I'm coming. Be right back, okay?" He squeezed the hand still tucked in and his and left her with a quick brush of his mouth across her smooth cheek.

Blair watched the two disappear from the room, only half-aware as Cyrus and her father settled the girls at the foot of the bed. They were talking excitedly to their grandfathers', telling them of the plans they'd made for their mother's first day back home. Roman was fiddling around with the television, searching through the channels, while Dorota and her mother settled on either side of Blair's hospital bed.

Eleanor cleared her throat, "So, you and Charles are moving in together."

"Don't start, Eleanor." Harold said, not looking up from his conversation with the twins and Cyrus.

She glared at the back of his head, "I wasn't starting anything. I just want to be sure that she's thought this through. You two can't just jump right back in where you left off."

"Mom, that's not what's happening here."

"Well, that's what it seemed like when we walked in here…I just don't want you going too fast. You just woke up and things weren't exactly good between you when this all started…"

Blair closed her eyes, groaned. Did her mother really think that she'd forgotten any of that? It as all she'd thought of before Chuck let her know in no uncertain terms that he expected her to move in with him and the girls when the time came for her to leave the hospital for home. "I know…"

"Well, I for one think that young love is a thing of beauty, dear." Cyrus threw in, "Given some time and space, the kids'll be just fine…just fine indeed. They need need to get their feet back under them."

"I couldn't agree more." Harold said.

Blair almost laughed, grateful for their support and reminded of earlier attempts at literally doing just that and her subsequent fall right on her ass. Things would be like that with Chuck, she guessed. Blair wanted to be on her own feet again…the same way that she wanted her family with Chuck. They'd fall but she had to keep trying.

"Don't get me wrong, darling." Eleanor was saying, "Your father and Cyrus are right. It'll take time and that's all I'm saying. I just want you to be happy. And I guess I was a little in love with the idea of you being home again." She sighed. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Aw, Mom." Blair squealed, grabbing her mother's hands. "Well, you'll be back in New York and then I'll just be a car ride away."

"Yes, there's that."

"And I'm going to need all the help that I can get. I know that everyone pitched in to help Chuck with the girls early on." Blair said, oblivious as Cyrus shifted uncomfortably and Harold exchanged worried glances with Roman who'd ceased playing with the television. Dorota couldn't quite hide her surprise at Blair's next words. "Seriously, Mom. I'm glad that you could all do that. That you could be there for Chuck and the girls."

Eleanor stiffened, "Oh…well."

Feeling mortified as tears burned the back of her eyes, Blair said interpreted her mother's sudden attack of nerves as being due to the trail of tears staining Blair's pale cheeks. Swiping delicately at her wet cheeks, Blair smiled shakily for her mother, "Sorry, guess I'm…I don't know what…happy. Overwhelmed. Happy. It's what I wanted before. You being there."

"I won't let you down again. I promise." Eleanor said, hugging her daughter. "I just hope you can forgive me for the things that I did before. I'll do everything that I can to make it up to you."

The woman was more than twenty years late with that sentiment but Blair would take it. In that moment she forgave her for missing so much of Blair's childhood for the sake of her career. She forgave her for those last few hellish weeks before Kat and Evie's births where her mother. "You're here. That's enough."

"I love you, sweetheart." Eleanor said. "It'll be okay. We'll be okay now."

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** And that's that for now…I've got another superlong chapter in the wings. Wifey is reading it now. Hope to have it posted for you guys tomorrow. Before/During/After the episode. So it's official. C/B are setting up house with their kids and Dorota of course. Poor Chuck who'd have thought that he'd end up surrounded by so many females...definitely not how he pictured it. Eleanor still wanting to change her ways, while playing fast and loose with her intentions and the truth. ND as a couple…hmm. Couldn't resist. Sorry. N/V. Will she? Won't she? What will N do with it all. Okay I should get to bed. Work tomorrow, ya know? As always let me know what you're thinking. And will update asap. Hopefully tomorrow night…and again it's super super long. I've been feeling long-winded. Okay night all. :kiss:

Courtney


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** As promised. Runs on the long side, as well, I was feeling a bit wordy, haha. Please forgive any mistakes or grammar faux pas that I may have missed in my mad rush to get this posted. As always, your words and thoughts always mean a great deal to me and I think you for them. You guys are love. Big kiss ;) and hugs all around. Hi to my girls and special thanks to Wifey…just cause you're so friggin amazing and always looking out. Thanks hon.

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**Chapter 19**ஐ

Not far away, Chuck and Eric walked the halls of the hospital. Chuck waited patiently or rather impatiently for his brother to speak his mind. Finally he asked, "Eric. You wanted to talk to me. What's going on?"

Eric thrust his hands in his pockets, his expression uncertain, "I don't know. Maybe what you told me earlier is making me paranoid but no…this is just weird. And now I'm rambling."

"Yes, you are. Just tell me. Eric, what's wrong?"

"I don't know that it's wron…It's just something that Eleanor said to me earlier…before we—er interrupted you guys." Eric said, "She thanked me for my concern yesterday. She said that when the nurse told her that her son…Eric Waldorf called to check on Blair that she was a little thrown at first."

Chuck's eyes narrowed as his brother's words sank in.

"I kept thinking about what you said before…and then someone using my name to check in on Blair's condition. It just got me thinking. Am I losing it? Looking for trouble where none exists." Eric laughed nervously, waiting for reassurance from Chuck.

Reassurance would have to wait as Chuck's next words were quietly hissed. Chuck demanding that his brother tell him exactly what Eleanor had said. Every detail that could be remembered.

Eric told him about meeting up with Eleanor, Harold and the others on their way back up with the kids. And then Eleanor's words about the nurse calling her over to the phone to speak with her "son." Her "son" who'd been worried about his sister's health. There really wasn't much to tell and Eric hadn't denied Eleanor's assumption that it had been him. Instead, he'd mulled it over in his mind, worry seeping in with every passing moment. Especially given his earlier conversation with Chuck. Something had his siblings on edge and Eric couldn't shake the feeling that this was connected.

Chuck listened, quiet. He spoke only to have Eric repeat his recounting at least another three times.

After that third time, the younger man fell silent, waiting for Chuck's theories as to what was going on. He knew that earlier Chuck hadn't felt comfortable sharing whatever the problem was but this wasn't business, if Blair was being pulled in…that meant there was something big going on that could affect them all. Him. His mother. His nieces and nephew.

"I know I said that I was okay not knowing before, but I'm asking now. Do you have any idea what's going on?" Eric asked.

Chuck nodded after a moment, meeting his brother's worried eyes. "I have a fairly good idea who may have called. A man. Dr. Phillip McCarty. I think he's the reason Blair's awake."

"And you're worried." Eric said.

"I am terrified."

The blond man nodded, "Well, I'm listening if you need to talk about it. What's he got to do with Blair?"

"I've been funding his research into alternative treatments for cases like Blair's. he developed this drug. He wanted to give it to her months ago…test it on her."

"God, Chuck. You didn't."

"No, of course not. I'd never chance her like that. Not ever." Chuck glared, forgetting for a moment that this was the little brother he loved dearly. "I told the bastard to go to hell. May have thrown a punch or two. He wanted to give it to her despite the fact that the fucking side effects could've killed her."

"Shit. Shit. But how?" Eric asked, "The private hospital she's been in wasn't exactly Fort Knox but I don't see how the doctors and nurses could've just let McCarty slip it to her right under their noses."

"That's what's throwing me." Chuck admitted. "I've had my PIs checking into this."

Eric smiled despite himself, "Of course."

"They couldn't find any evidence of McCarty coming stateside over the past few months."

"You think he was working with someone. Maybe one of the nurses at the hospital?"

Chuck nodded, "It makes sense. I'm heading over there. Before I definitely send her back there for rehab…I want to be sure of who exactly's been treating her and to make sure that McCarty can't get to her again." He sighed, "If I could manage it, I'd just take her back to the apartment now and hire a private nurse."

"Um, well why not just do that?"

"Gotta get Chambers to clear her first and I want her heavily monitored. At least for the next few weeks. Just in case any more of those fucking side effects pop up." Chuck said.

"Anything I can do right now?" Eric asked.

"No but you'll be the first to know if that changes." Chuck assured.

~ஐ~

"Nate told me you were here. I hope this isn't a bad time." Serena said, the cycle of anger and worry that she'd been cycling through on the cab ride over, deserting her.

She'd all but forgiven Chuck and Nate for misleading her and keeping their secrets. And she'd been too worried about Dan to let him feel the full brunt of upset that she'd been feeling the night before. Not that he would've known either way since he'd been groggy and too far gone after the ER doc finished giving him the once over.

Dan stepped back to let her inside, his hair still dripping and wet from his shower. "Come in. Have you eaten, yet? I just ordered room service but I can always have them…"

"No, that's okay. I can't stay for long. I left Alex with my Mom but she has plans later." Serena said.

"Okay," He said, "Well, let me go put something on…"

"No…I mean. That's okay. Like I said…" Serena locked eyes with him, completely aware of Dan's robe-clad form. "I just needed to see …ugh talk to you."

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

Serena shook her head after a moment. "Yes. No. I talked to Chuck. I know what's been happening."

"So he finally told you."

"Yes, _he_ did and I really wish that you had."

Somehow, Dan had known that was coming, "It was Chuck's story to tell and he didn't want us saying anything."

Okay, so maybe she and Nate had felt beholden to keeping quiet for Chuck given their shared history but her brother and Dan was something else entirely. She shook her head, her expression a mix of disbelief and wild humor.

"What?"

"It's unbelievable. You guys can't stand one another and yet here you are covering for him…and Chuck…Chuck's asking you for favors."

Dan nodded, "Weird, right?"

For some reason, Serena found the idea of Dan and Chuck working together, all kinds of ironic and hilarious to boot. She laughed, bitterness mixing in with hysteria. Serena didn't realize that she was crying until Dan put his arms around her. Tentative. Hugging her close.

"Hey. Ssh. It's okay."

"Just give me a minute…okay?" She hugged him back, squeezing until he winced in reaction. "I'm sorry. Sorry. You just have no idea what I went through yesterday. I thought something really bad had happened to you and then it turns out that I was right."

"It's okay."

But it hadn't been. Not yesterday. He could've died and he and the others had all lied to her. Her ire of before came back. Here she was apologizing for her tears and they'd put her through hell. Her arms fell away from him and her entire body stiffened. Dan, who'd been murmured words of comfort pulled back frowning.

Well, fuck, he thought. There was a face that he'd grown quite familiar with during the course of their tumultuous relationship back in high school. As Eric had told him on more than one occasion, that face was not his friend.

She stepped back, arms crossing over her chest. An air of expectation crowding around her, Serena watched him…waiting.

Dan finally had to ask, "What is it?" What the hell had he done now?

"Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Not really, Dan thought but wisely kept the sentiment to himself. Instead he merely shrugged, "Why don't you clue me in on what's got you suddenly so upset."

She scoffed, "Upset? What's got me upset? I don't know…I'm just realizing that…here I am. Pouring my heart out and letting you know just how afraid I was…_apologizing _and you have nothing to say to me besides 'give me a clue'…"

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Dan tried backtracking. "Serena, I…"

"A clue. He wants a clue." She brushed past him.

"What are you doing?" He didn't move, but tracked her movements as she marched to the hotel door.

Serena yanked open the door and stuck her head in the hallway. "DAN HUMPHREY IS AN ASSHOLE!!!"

Dan stood unmoving as she slammed the door shut again and came back to stand in front of him. "Feeling better?"

Her expression unchanged, she shrugged. "A little"

"Well, you aren't thinking of slugging me, are you?" He said, trying to lighten the mood, make her smile at him again.

"Hadn't considered it yet. But now that you mention it." Despite her words, she reached out to stroke Dan's bruised features, anger cooling. "No more secrets. Okay, Dan? Not between you and me. Not for my brother. Not for anyone. All right?"

"Yeah. Right. Consider it done." Dan nodded, waiting for her to step back. Except she didn't. Her eyes drifted to his mouth and he couldn't keep his wandering gaze from reciprocating.

"Good. Now promise me that you'll be careful." She whispered, her face bare inches from his. "I don't want to feel anything like I felt when I heard you were hurt."

"Of course." His eyes still locked on her mouth. "No more secrets and be careful."

His thoughts muddled but just the proximity of this blonde beauty who'd intimidated him and overwhelmed him for most of their relationship. What an unlikely pair they been and hadn't they broken up enough times to prove all the reasons why they shouldn't have even tried. It never worked out. There were so many reasons why he should just step back and let her be on her way. Only he couldn't think of a single one of them. All he could do was wonder how it would feel to kiss her again.

"Good, 'cause I don't think that I could handle anything really happening to you…" She murmured, her warm breath fanning his skin.

What could possibly happen to him? Logic and reason tried to butt in and diffuse the moment. Safe. She wanted him safe. The arsonist? They guy might be after him even know, thinking that Dan had gotten a look at his face. His entire reason for accepting Chuck's offer inside of booking a room where his father was staying. Heaving a regretful sigh, Dan was the one who pulled away.

Serena blinked at him in confusion. "What…"

"I should probably get dressed. I know you said that you couldn't stay long. And I need to return some phone calls for work." He tried not to make it sound so much like a dismissal…even if that's what it completely was.

"Um. Right. Of course." Serena said, "I'll call you later and maybe when you're feeling up to it we can have those drinks. Or I could make us some dinner at my place."

"You're going to cook?" Dan smiled.

In mock offense, Serena pretended to glare, "Well, Martha Stewart I'm not but I'll have you know that I can hold my own in the kitchen."

"As cocky as I remembered. I like it. Guess I'll have to let you experiment on me." Dan said.

"You should stop talking now before I change my mind about slugging you." Serena warned.

Dan released the breath he didn't realize that he'd been holding once she was gone. "My life beyond sucks." He cursed softly and cancelled his room service order, in favor of a very, very long cold shower.

~ஐ~

Nate cursed himself for every type of fool as he disentangled himself from the clinging limbs of the naked woman at this side. He'd dozed. They both had after the fire and heat of coming together. Putting all of the heavy emotions that'd left him ragged out of his mind.

Long dark hair, tickled his bare chest and obscured her face. He pulled away slowly. Not wanting to wake her. Not wanting to talk or dissect what they'd just spent the past few hours doing. It didn't mean anything. It didn't change a goddamn thing and he hoped to God that she understood that.

Nate searched the living room, gathering up his discarded clothing peppering every corner of the room, mixed in with hers.

Fuck. He should've just left earlier with his goddamn suitcases before she'd walked back through that door. He should've just kept going when she felt the sudden need to "explain" her actions. Her affair. But he couldn't. A perverse part of him needed to know what'd happened. What'd gone wrong? But he couldn't let her finish. Not when she seemed so despairing…echoing the cracks in his heart. He'd stopped her…suitcases falling to the floor when she started to cry. Kissing her to assuage the need to throttle.

He hated her. Loved her. Hated her for breaking them apart. Shattering them into pieces that they could never glue back together. So he kissed her. With every bit of loathing and love that he could muster. They'd made love…no that wasn't right. They'd fucked…going at it for stretches of time, losing track. At the back of his mind, Nate had wondered if maybe he was trying to erase what had passed between Vanessa and her lover. Ruin her for anyone's touch but his alone.

Wasn't that what she deserved? To carry on through with life…unfulfilled and dissatisfied with anything and anyone except him. The only problem with that sentiment was that he was very afraid that the same was true for him. And so he left her sleeping on couch, wanting to shake her…wanting to love her.

He left before he could decide on doing either one of those.

Twenty minutes later, Vanessa awoke slowly, her limbs heavy and Nate's scent all around her. Even before she opened her eyes, Vanessa knew that he was gone. The empty sound of the house around her, achingly familiar.

Wrapping the afghan around her body, she wandered from the room, leaving her clothes where they lay. Finding all of his suitcases gone, Vanessa tried to console herself. Hadn't she expected him to finally take them all this time? Didn't she know that their afternoon had changed nothing, but the empty spot by the stairs still cut deep.

She still hadn't told him about Carter. She'd been ready…or as ready as she was ever going to be. Then he'd kissed her and she hadn't pushed him away. Why would she have…he'd given her the exact hell and solace that she'd been running to Carter's bed for the past few days looking for.

~ஐ~

Over the days that followed, a routine of sorts fell into place for the friends. Serena and Dan spoke on the phone almost every night, dancing around the subjects of their almost kiss and the fact that Dan deflected her every attempt to get him to come over for dinner. Nate was as surprised as Vanessa, each night he found himself mounting the familiar steps outside of their brownstone. He never stayed the entire night and she never asked him to. Chuck spent his nights with Blair. Leaving for early for board meetings and conference calls that demanded his presence at Bass Industries. Chuck always made certain that he knew who would be with Blair and what doctors or nurses were likely to be in her room for the day. She thought that he was being sweet to make sure that Dorota, Serena, or even her mother was free to spend those hours with her, having no idea that it was merely another precaution.

He'd talked to his PIs about having the people on staff investigated as well but his people advised that the undertaking was an impossible one, even before considering the fact that their resources were already stretched beyond belief with looking for McCarty and into the Franklin family's past.

Chuck freely admitted that he was paranoid about all the various technicians who kept appearing in her room. And that fucking Chambers seemed to have decided that Blair was his new pet project. The guy was always hanging around. So he settled for Mike checking out "Dr. Feelgood," as his dear sister liked to joke. Chuck wasn't finding any of it the least bit funny. The man was quickly becoming a pain in his ass.

He was almost wishing that Mike could come up with some dirt on the doctor, but Chambers and the others who worked closest with Blair checked out with nothing shady in their pasts. No connections to McCarty, whatsoever.

Ensconced in the back of the limo with papers on either side of him, Chuck couldn't make himself concentrate on the business of…well business. He'd been so distracted by everything that work had become less of a priority. Chuck had a business lunch in another hour but first he needed to make a quick stop

He checked his watch and saw that he had more than enough time, as long as traffic cooperated. He reached for his cell phone and dialed his sister's number.

Serena answered on the third ring, sounding out of breath. "Yes, Chuck."

"Hello to you, too, Sis." Chuck said, "What in the hell are you doing?"

"Walking."

"I thought you were at work."

"I was. I left early. Had a few things to take care of for this little surprise that you've got brewing for Blair. I had my doubts before, but it's definitely a good idea." Serena said.

Yes, now if only he could get Chambers to cooperate then all else should fall right into place. "You're heading over later to relieve Dorota, right."

"Yes, Chuck." He could all but see her rolling her eyes. "You know it'd be easier to just tell her the truth and hire an actual bodyguard…"

"No. This will work."

"So we're just going to do this…you spending your nights at the hospital and the rest of us taking shifts while you work. She's going to get suspicious Chuck. And as much as the girls love sleeping over at my place and with Mom and Eric…they miss you. They miss being in their own space."

"I know." Chuck said, "Everything you're saying, believe me. I've thought about it over and over again. I've got a plan coming together, though. I need to work on a few more things before I let you know the details."

The limo pulled to a stopped and Arthur called through the intercom. "Sir, we have arrived."

"Listen, I need to go. I've got a few more meetings. Then I promised to take the girls out for an early dinner and they want to try smuggling ice cream in to their mother." He smiled.

"B, would love that."

Mindful of all that needed to be done within a limited amount of time, Chuck said his goodbyes to his sister and let himself out of the limo. "I won't be long." He told the driver.

"Of course, sir."

Chuck left him there. Heading for the familiar building where he'd spent hundreds of hours over the past five years.

Greetings of "Mr. Bass" and congratulations followed with questions of Blair's health and the twins.

"Mr. Bass. You're back. We're all over the moon with Miss Waldorf's recovering. We can only imagine how you and the family are feeling right now." The nurse smiled, falling into step beside him as he made his way to Blair's old room.

"We're all quite happy to have her back."

"Nurse Timpkins told me that you'd decided against having Miss Waldorf transferred back here, after all." The woman said, "We were going to pack up her things but then thought maybe that your family would rather take care of it."

Chuck nodded. Though he'd have been happy to send to send someone from his staff over to pack up Blair's old room. He'd been ready to send her back to this place but the more and more he thought of his conversation with Eric, the more wrong it felt even contemplating bringing her back here. Chuck had more than enough money. He'd hire a private staff and lease one of the apartments in his building. Renovations were already being done on the apartment directly below his. He'd hired contractors to have it ready in time for Blair's release. The place would be outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. That way Blair could just come home with him and the kids and do her physical therapy right there in the building. The private staff would mean him not having to worry about her safety and McCarty somehow getting to her again.

Now he just needed to figure out how it happened in the first place. If not McCarty then who at the private hospital could've given B the drug? Risking her life. Risking everything.

"We were all extremely worried when she went into cardiac arrest, but what a wonderful miracle." The nurse said, following him inside Blair's old hospital room, still decked out with the Christmas decorations that Cyrus and Eleanor had put up.

Chuck wandered over to the night table and picked up the closest picture frame. A family shot that Lily had insisted on. They were all there…him, the kids, Serena, Eric, Alex, Lily and even Dorota. They'd have to take a new one with Blair. It would replace this one which took up space on the mantel, back at the apartment. The more that he thought of his plans and the surprise that he and Serena had brewing for Blair…the more excited he was becoming.

Nothing could diminish it. Not this shit with the fires. Not Eleanor's attempts at undermining him.

"We really are going to miss all of you around here. In case you hadn't noticed, the staff has grown very attached to your girls. Everyone who meets them falls in love."

"I know I did." Chuck smiled. He turned to her. "Listen. I'd like to do something special. Maybe throw a party of sorts for all of you. For everything that you've done for Blair and me and my family."

The woman blushed as he turned up the charm another notch…intent on getting what he came for. "That's not necessary. We were only doing our jobs."

"It's very necessary. Trust me. Your quick actions I'm told probably saved Blair's life." His own heart stuttered at what might have happened if they hadn't gotten to her so quickly and then sent her to St. Vincent's. "Were you here that night?"

"Me? No. I was with my sister…doing some last minute shopping." She said, her tone deprecating and her expression helpful. "I wasn't here but Griff and the usual night staff was on duty. And poor Olivia."

"Olivia?" Chuck tried not to jump on that. The name didn't sound familiar. He'd grown to know all the usual suspects on staff and he couldn't remember an Olivia. "Don't think I've met her."

"Oh, she's fairly new. Young girl…dark hair. Nice enough. Most of the time." She said as if those other times when this "Olivia" was less than "nice enough" were a doozy. The nurse looked at him, flushing guiltily when she thought she may have said something inappropriate.

Chuck gave her that lazy smile and waiting expectantly for her to continue.

She didn't disappoint, spurned on by his obvious interest. "Well, Olivia started a few weeks ago. Nice enough girl but don't think she's cut of for this type of job at all. She can be a bit abrasive at times and I think that what happened to Miss Waldorf scared the bejesus out of the poor thing."

"Why do you say that?" Chuck asked.

"Well, she hightailed it out of here pretty fast, or I heard…you know once the others arrived. All the alarms and such. And Miss Waldorf going into arrest was probably too much for her. Olivia's called in sick everyday since it happened. Guess maybe she's rethinking her career in nursing. She probably thought working here would be different than the bigger hospitals."

"That's a shame. I hope she comes back. 'Olivia,' you said right?" He confirmed. So perhaps McCarty had an accomplice after all.

The woman nodded, "Yes. Nurse Olivia George."

~ஐ~

Blair was laughing and Dorota following her oldest charge…arms held out as the older woman had done numerous times when Kat and Evie were first learning to walk and taking their tumbles. Blair seemed to be holding her own even with her own personal spotter constantly on her tail as she maneuvered around the room, using a walker. Serena shook her head at the picture the twosome made.

"Miss Blair. I really think that is enough."

"Just a few more minutes." Blair said, unknowingly sounding like her girls whenever they were trying to push their bedtime back an hour or three.

"New toy, Blair?" Serena asked. "Maybe you should listen to Dorota. You don't want a repeat of your less than graceful…"

"_Serena…"_

"Something happen?" Dorota looked between the old friends, her ears perked and eyes narrowed. "Tell me now."

"It was nothing. Dorota, would you please help me back to the bed. I think _I am_ feeling a little tired." Blair glared at Serena. She didn't need Dorota hovering and fussing any more than she already was. She glanced at her best friend and raised a brow at the bevy of bags bearing designer names and gasp…Bendels.

Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. Blair couldn't help the pout that surfaced. She was stuck here all damn day and Serena had gone shopping.

"Don't look at me like that, B. I come bearing gifts. It's all for you." Serena said, "Well, mostly."

For her? Now that changed matters.

"I know you're tired of wearing _that._"

"You know me well," Blair looked down at the silk robe and pajamas that Chuck had bought for her after her continued complaints of the hospitals less than imaginative wardrobe choices. She'd been grateful enough and had even kiss him once or ten times for being so thoughtful but Serena was right. She was sick to death of pajamas. She wanted really...supergirly clothes with all the frills. God, she hoped Serena hadn't brought her anymore pajamas. Cute or not. She wanted to feel pretty. Not like she was a patient. Which she was but that couldn't go on forever. Dr. Will would be signing her out of here any day now. She'd do her time at the private hospital and then she'd get to go home with Chuck and the girls. "Really for me?"

"Yes, and if you want to see…you're going to have to sit down. I know you've lost a lot of weight and your old clothes probably wouldn't fit. And thought you'd probably want new stuff to get you started, anyway. So come and sit down so we can look through it all." Serena said.

Only then did Blair realize that she'd stopped halfway across the room and Dorota was still clucking around her like some Mother Hen. Blair shooed her off as she greedily took in the bounty that her best friend was laying out before her.

"Oh, Serena. I think I'm in love with you. Seriously." Blair buried her nose in the silky fabric and breathed deeply. Yves St. Laurant. McCartney. Chloe. Posen. _Prada. _They were all there. Her drugs of choice.

Over the next hour the girls and Dorota looked through piles of clothes. There was something of everthing…blouses, skirts, a sexy slip dress that made Dorota flush beet red. It felt like their first time again. That wonderful first shopping trip where it had been just the three of them….with carte blanche in Bergdorfs and Bendels…free to decide on what they wanted. What clothes fit their views of themselves, rather than their parents' skewed or out and out blind illusions of them.

They laughed and Blair tried on a pair of jeans and designer tee. She and Serena giggled over the delicate, bits of lace and silk underwear, while Dorota pretended to be scandalized.

Blair knew that it would be a while before she'd be able to wear most of it. But thankfully Serena had included more than a few casual items. She usually wasn't a denim type of girl. Hell she hadn't even been a denim type of girl but the pair of skinny jeans looked damn good on her figure…they were comfortable…and showed off her—er uh assets. They were also a welcome change from her 101 pairs of pajamas. She felt like her old self again. All that was missing were her headbands and her favorite pair of Louboutins.

She couldn't wait to see Chuck's face when he saw her in her new jeans. She glanced down at the blouse she'd grabbed out of the pile and its little bowtie. The silky fabric clung in all the right places. God, had her boobs gotten bigger. Oh she really, really couldn't wait for Bass to get there from his billionth meeting.

Her eyes wandered back to the black slip dress. There were quite a few things she couldn't wait to get his reaction on. "S?"

"What's up?" Serena said, distracted as she and Dorota tried putting it all in order. Getting things back into their respective bags.

"I just had the best idea for a surprise and I need your help."

Serena got the weirdest look on her face at that…surprise? Irony? What the hell was that all about? Before she could dissect it, her friend was smiling and nodding, the reaction that Blair had being going for to start with. "What did you have in mind?"

"The nurses seem to love you, so I need you to work your magic with them." Blair told her.

"They'd love you, too, if you didn't give them such a hard time." Serena sighed, "B, you're not still pushing your girls' night sleepover, are you?"

"No. One thing at a time, S. Tonight I just want to do something special with Chuck. He's been so great…staying here with me. Night after night, when he could be at home…comfortable in his own bed." Blair said, wishing once again that she could be anywhere except the hospital.

Even with the visitors that always seemed to be dropping by and her more and more strenuous efforts into getting back full control of her body, she was bored half the time. And beyond sick of the four walls that was her prison. The only good thing about her enforced confinement was the fact that whether having a cell phone glued to his ear or shuffling through papers or talking to her and the kids, Chuck was there.

She hadn't spent one night in this place without her body curling up beside his. It was nice having that time with him but it wasn't exactly an ideal situation. They were in a hospital for godsakes, not some cozy and romantic bed-and-breakfast. "Privacy" might as well have been a four-letter word since day-in and day-out, there was always someone barging in.

Serena said, "Oh, it's no hardship. Trust me, Blair. The doctors couldn't kick him out with the rest of us if they tried. Actually, come to think of it…your good friend, Dr. Will _did_."

Blair tried not to smile, her fingers caressing the silky fabric of her new wardrobe and her mind hurtling back to other night when Will had politely booted the others from her room. He'd cited his patient's need for a night of uninterrupted rest. Chuck hadn't even looked up as he coolly assured the other man that he'd make sure that Blair followed doctor's orders to the letter, blatantly ignoring the other man's not so subtle hints that he leave along with the rest of her family.

"Nevertheless, I've got an idea and I'll need your help in executing it. Yours, as well, Dorota's."

"Of course, Miss Blair." The maid nodded eagerly.

The girls would have their dinner and time with Daddy and then he was all hers.

~ஐ~

Olivia George. He couldn't get the name out of his head.

Chuck was still waiting for Mike to return the half-dozen messages that he'd left for the PI since hearing that name. He'd asked the very helpful nurse to describe Ms. George two more times before leaving for his meeting, telling the woman that he thought that maybe he had crossed paths with her co-worker and just wanted to match the face with the name. The nurse hadn't given him much to go on and so his imagination was going into overdrive.

Olivia George. Georgina Sparks. Coincidence? When had anything in his life boiled down to anything as pure and simple as that? Never. So he'd found himself preoccupied. Numbers and words swam, incomprehensible during the limo ride over when he'd tried reading through the folder that his secretary had pieced together for his lunch meeting. More than once, Chuck had found himself staring into space, uncertain of just how long he'd sat that way. Thankfully he'd already looked through the sheaf of papers the night before.

Things were better once he actually arrived at the restaurant. It was almost automatic the way his mind clicked into business mode, pushing all else to the back. Olivia was still there…in the far corners. Right there with Blair and the girls, but Bart had taught him nothing if not how to compartmentalize when it came to getting a deal to go your way.

His blonde associate excused herself halfway though lunch, needing to make a call to her business partner.

Chuck was grateful, hoping to take the chance to check in again with his PI.

However, before he could even dial the number he heard his name being called.

"Chuck. Well, hello again."

He looked up, recognizing her immediately this time, placing the exotic beauty as the same he'd met while overseas. Chuck rose politely as she started around the table, holding out his hands to take hers. He smiled, "Gia."

"You remembered." She beamed, surprising him as she took his hands and leaned close to brush her mouth across his cheek. Gia pulled back, looking slightly embarrassed over her lapse but he could see her watching, full of curiosity for his reaction. She said, "Sorry…just flew in from Gay Paree and entirely different set of sensibilities."

"It's fine." Chuck said, his expression still polite and friendly as he gently extracted his hands. He pulled back, putting more distance between them.

"I just wanted to stop over and say hello. One of these days we're going to have to sit down and actually have a drink." She said, her mouth full and curving, the invitation for more than a drink very clear. "Or even dinner."

"Actually, I'm fairly busy foreseeable future."

"I can imagine. Million-dollar deals don't just make themselves." She said, "I saw you with your associate earlier. You were clearly in your element. Things going well I take it?"

Chuck shrugged, noncommittally not comfortably discussing business before the deal was done. Sure last night he'd discussed this meeting with Blair but that had been entirely different. He'd always valued Blair's opinion. The takedowns that woman had orchestrated in high school had been things of beauty and he'd love to see what she could do if given the chance in the business arena.

He knew that she'd been considering following in her father's footsteps by going pre-Law. He wasn't sure if that was something that she was still considering. She could always pursue corporate law…he could see her in a courtroom or boardroom, eviscerating some poor unsuspecting bastard. Hell, maybe he'd talk her into joining him at Bass Industries. They'd rule the business world by day and their nights…well they'd take turns in the privacy of their bedroom.

Eyes gleaming and a speculative smirk curving his mouth, Chuck pulled his attention back to the woman standing before him.

She cleared her throat, "I had the pleasure of meeting your mother…er stepmother…uh Lily…"

"You had it right the first time. You met Lily." And? He waited politely, glancing surreptitiously at his watch.

"Yes. She was acting chairperson for the Hearts and Minds benefit last September. She's amazing really. I don't think that I could've gotten half of what she accomplished in the few weeks she had after taking over the project from Isobel Duarte." Gia said, her tone teasing and full of conspiracy. "That woman…Isobel…almost wrecked the entire evening. It was a lucky break that your mother took over when he did."

He listened politely as goes on to talk about the caterer trying to pull a fast one on Lily but his stepmother wasn't fooled and knew exactly what she wanted. Chuck found his eyes drifting beyond her, now and again, but still saw sign of his partner for lunch.

Nodding absently at the woman across from him, he wondered at the possible phone conversation going on. Of course they would bend to his terms. Like Blair had insisted the night before…it was a sound investment that would benefit all parties involved. Chuck sighed.

His phone vibrated in his jacket pocket, bringing him instantly to attention. He reached for it, holding up a hand for Gia to cease her inane chatter. It wasn't charming really. Not on her at least.

"Finally," he bit off as his PI's name flashed up at him. "Hold that thought Mike." He said into the phone before turning back to the woman staring at him with unchecked interest. "I really need to take this."

"Another time then?"

"Yes. Definitely." Anything you want. Just move along so I can take this effing call. He offered a charming smile that stayed in place until she was finally on her way. Chuck settled back into his chair, phone at his ear. His nostrils flaring out. Gone was the charmer and instead, Chuck became what his father had groomed him for…in life and in business. He was nothing less than a shark in the water having scented the blood of his prey.

Olivia George. Georgina Sparks. Something was there. He could feel it.

"Mr. Bass?"

"I'm still here. Listen, the guy you sent to Prague…the one who confirmed Georgina Sparks' location. You said that he talked to one of the nurses at the sanatorium."

"Yeah. Lady identified Sparks' photo right off."

"I want your guy to approach her again. I want him to make sure. If not this nurse, then find someone else in the ward. Hell, tell him to have himself committed to the fucking place if necessary but I want this checked out. Again." Chuck said, "Is that going to present a problem?"

"Of course not, Mr. Bass." The man said almost immediately, seeming very aware that any other answer would've been unacceptable.

"Good. Get back to me as soon as possible." He said and snapped the phone shut.

His associate finally chose that moment to return, her eyes roaming his features and curving slightly at what she saw. "Thought I'd taken too long. Gary had quite a few addendums that he wanted me to introduce…but I guess you were able to keep yourself occupied."

Chuck frowned, glancing down at the phone still in his hand.

The woman shook her head, smiling. "No. You have a little something here." She brushed a hand high on her cheek.

Fuck. Understanding coming in loud and clear. He used the neat square of his lilac hankie to remove the evidence of Gia's impetuous greeting.

"Let me guess. The pretty brunette who hadn't stopped looking over here since you arrived. I spotted her right off. She was rather obvious. Looks to be her shade you were just wearing a second ago. Acquaintance? You could've asked her to stay. We're about done here."

"Hardly necessary."

"I see." She nodded, "Well, piece of unsolicited advice from the fairer sex…watch out for that one. She seems that kind of hold on for dear life once her claws get in deep enough. Dated a few like her in my younger, foolish years."

Chuck nodded slowly, though the woman's advice was a moot point. There was simply no room in his life for someone like Gia or anyone else for that matter. The lady could sharpen her claws all she liked, he wasn't interested.

"And I've overstepped. Sorry. You just remind me of someone I used to know a long time ago. Forget I said anything." She told him..

"It's fine really, but I'm already taken so Gia's not an issue." Chuck told her. He said the words and they'd never felt more right.

"Lucky lady. You'd better start broadcasting that just a bit little better, young man. Or else you might find yourself in hot water with your girl." She warned. "Now let's get back to business, shall we?"

"Of course. Did you discuss my terms with your partner?"

"I did, indeed. A few rough areas…but nothing we couldn't iron out. Listen I'm in town for the rest of the week. Why don't we take some time…wait for the lawyers to get the paperwork together. That'll give Sid time to look everything over as well. We can all go out and celebrate." She said, "I'll bring my girl and you bring yours."

"A celebratory dinner sounds like an excellent idea, but it'll have to wait until the next time you're in town. Blair's in the hospital right now."

"Nothing serious, I hope."

"Nope. Not anymore." He told her.

"Good to hear. I'll take that rain check, though." She said. "Now about those terms Gary wanted me to bring to your attention."

Chuck motioned for her to continue. He'd done all he could at the moment. Now it was up to Mike's man to get back to Chuck with that second confirmation. He forced his attention away from Olivia George. He'd find out the truth soon enough.

~ஐ~

"What's the hurry, Archibald? You're burning through that paperwork pretty damn fast. Trying to score more brownie points with the Lieu." Henderson, one of the biggest jackasses in the precinct, bumped the back of Nate's chair and plopped his ass on the edge of the desk. The tall, lanky bastard knocked a framed photograph of Nate's wedding day and made no move to put it back in place.

Nate schooled his features, telling himself that the burning in his gut was irritation with his pain-in-ass co-worker. He told himself that it was the smaller wallet-sized pictures of the twins and Alex stuck in the corner of the silver frame that his eyes unconsciously sought out now and again during the day. He made excuses for not ridding himself of that smile face. Both of their faces, light and filled with false promises.

He reasoned with himself that his wedding picture couldn't just suddenly disappear. Not unless he wanted people asking questions that was none of their damn business. "What do you want, Henderson?" Nate started to reach out to right the fallen picture, but steeled himself against the impulse.

"What bug crawled up your ass?"

"Leave him alone, asshole. Boy's got a hot date tonight." Nate's partner said, not even bothering to look up from his own pile half-finished reports.

"Oh, yeah? The wife dragging you to another one of them frou frou movies where you can't understand a goddamn thing anybody's saying? Goddamn subtitles. I'm no idiot. I like serious movies, but I don't go to the movies to fucking read." Henderson said.

The older man finally glanced up at them, winking at Nate as he said, "Twins. Our boy's stepping out with a couple of heartbreakers."

Henderson laughed, slapping his knee. "Oh, yeah? Squeaky clean Archie?"

"My goddaughters, you idiot." Nate rolled his eyes and went back to the papers that were barely holding his interest with the torrent of thoughts and wonderings that vied for his attention.

"Oh, right. Right." The man nodded, his face coloring mildly. Only then did he look over to the fallen picture frame and set it upright once again. Glancing briefly at the pictures inside. "Cute kids. Got a hoard of nieces myself. Guess I'll leave you to it."

So the asshole had a soft spot for kids…didn't change the asshole part though. Nate cursed silently as Henderson wandered away, leaving those beaming faces staring back at him. Again he started to reach out and stopped himself before the photograph ended up facedown again.

Still fighting himself, he was relieved when his cell phone vibrated. That relief last only as long as it took him to identify his caller. Well, damn.

He could just not answer, only he couldn't. Cursing himself, he answered. "Archibald."

"Nate. Hey, it's me."

"What do you want, Vanessa?" He asked, ducking his head and holding the phone closer to his ear as his partner glanced up sharply. He tried again, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper. "What is it?"

"Um…well. I was going to cook tonight and I just was wondering…" She said.

He could almost see her chewing nervously on her thumbnail.

"Last night…or this morning when you were leaving, you said something about working a double shift. I was thinking that we could have a late dinner…" Vanessa plunged ahead.

Dinner, she was asking him to have dinner with her. Breaking their unspoken rule. All they had left were those hours in the night. When he could pretend for a moment that nothing in his life had really changed and for her own reasons she played along. There was no niceties or conversation. He came home. They fucked. He left. That was it. At first he'd been so angry, but then he started to pretend that it was last year or even a few weeks ago. They didn't fuck after that…no he made love to his wife long enough to forget what she'd done. Once it was over though, reason and sanity warred with the heart and he left before either had a chance to win out.

Last night she'd kept trying to talk to him when all he wanted to do was kiss her. Even when he'd been leaving this morning she'd asked him about work and he'd lied about having a double. Had some part of him figured that the dinner invite was coming?

Did he really know her that well? Shouldn't he? They'd been together for so long. He couldn't help wondering then, why he hadn't been able to see the rest coming.

"Nate, did you hear what I said?"

He cleared his throat, "Yeah. Yeah. I heard. I had my nights mixed up. Tomorrow's my double. Tonight I've got the twins."

"Evie and Kat." She perked up at that. "Why not bring them over? I loved seeing them the other day."

"We've got plans." Nate told her.

"Oh…"

Fuck. "Maybe after though…"

A beep interrupted her response. He heard the tail end of her soft, nervous laughter. He silently thanked the makers of "call waiting."

"Listen, I have another call coming in. It's Serena. Alex might be coming tonight so I need to take this…"

"Serena?" She asked, "Nate…wait. I need to…"

"I have to take this."

"But…"

Nate clicked over, unable to cover his sigh of relief.

"Nate? Is that you?" Serena asked.

He really could've kissed her. "I'm here."

"Are you okay? You sound funny." She said.

Nate admitted, "I'm fine…"

The blonde fell silent for a moment, "Have you heard anything from Vanessa?"

He shrugged as she could detect the gesture over the phone, "She might've called a few times…doesn't mean I have to answer." Which was technically the truth. Sure he'd answered the last time, but Serena didn't need to know that. Why the hell was she asking about Vanessa anyway? "Why?"

"I don't know, Nate." Serena said, "I guess…maybe I think you should call her…you guys have a lot to talk about." A thread of disbelief in her voice, it was almost accusing. "So she really hasn't tried to come see you…talk to you."

"Well…"

"Nate! You two need to talk. Maybe there are things that you need to hear." Serena said, her words sounding eerily familiar, echoing Dan's push for him to "talk" to Vanessa.

"Have you been talking to Humphrey? Did your boyfriend put you up to this…you're supposed to be my friend here…not lobbying for me to forgive Vanessa." He said, loosening his tie which suddenly felt too tight.

"That's not what I was doing..." Serena said.

"I'm hanging up now."

She stopped him, "Wait. That's not why I called."

Great she wasn't intent on playing marriage counselor. She was calling _again _to badger him for details on Bart's fire and the Franklin family. At least it was a step up. "Well?"

"I'm not appreciating the tone, Nate. I'm not even calling for myself. I'm calling for Blair." She said, "And Chuck."

"Everything okay?" He sat up a little straighter.

"Blair needs a favor…"

~ஐ~

Serena. Goddamn Serena Van der Woodsen.

She knew that the entire situation was her own fault, but she couldn't help the burning resentment toward the blonde. She almost hated the other woman. No, wait. She literally hated Serena for one stretching moment.

Days had passed since the other woman had issued her ultimatum. Vanessa had tried. She'd been ready…or as ready as she could be to tell him about Carter. Then he'd kissed her and kept kissing her. And he didn't stop there. No he made love to her and she couldn't say the words.

Over the past few days, Serena's name had popped up on her phone more than once. Each and every time Vanessa had ignored the call. Ignored this reminder of what needed to be done.

She'd had her husband back. Maybe for just a few hours every night but she couldn't stand the thought of losing him completely. Now Serena would tell him the words that Vanessa couldn't begin to articulate.

God, maybe that was for the best.

~ஐ~

For the first time that day since he'd left Blair in Dorota's capable hands, Chuck found himself truly relaxing as the girls piled into the back of the limo. Sweet smiles in place for their beloved Arthur and calling out goodbyes to Harold and Roman even as the limo pulled away from the park.

Their cheeks were flushed and noses cold as he stole a kiss, dark curls tickling his nose. "Did you ladies enjoy your afternoon?"

"You should've come with us, Daddy." Evie said, "There was this girl and she was showing Grandpa Roman how to do jumps and stuff. Grandpa Harold said we couldn't try, though. You should've come."

"Yeah, we wouldn't have let you fall again, Daddy." Kat told him as she settled into the seat at her sister's side, buckling herself in. "Can we go again once Mommy's feeling better? Grandpa Harold says that she skates like an angel."

"Your Mommy would like nothing more."

"She said it was no fun being stuck inside." Kat confided, her lips pursed thoughtfully before she murmured. "Couldn't we sneak her outside?"

Chuck couldn't do anything except smile at that, shaking his head. He'd considered that one a few times, now and five years before when Eleanor had him barred from Blair's hospital room. "Interesting idea, baby, and I think your mother would actually love it. But even if we managed to sneak her past all the nurses, I don't think that Mommy would be up for ice skating just yet."

"But we don't have to go skating. Can't she come with us tonight?" Evie asked.

"Actually, that's something I wanted to talk to you guys about. Uncle Nate is going to be taking you guys to the game." He grimaced, thinking back to conversation with Serena. He wasn't bailing on them exactly. He was spending time with them now and it was going to be just the three of them for pizza before Nate came to get them for the game. He still saw them every single day and talked to them before bed. Except it was over the phone and they weren't sleeping in their own beds.

Fuck, was he doing this all wrong? Sure he wanted to be with Blair. He didn't want to leave her alone in the hospital. But how was this huge change in their lives and their routine affecting the twins. Chuck had dealt with almost eighteen years of Bart either cancelling out on plans they'd made or not even bothering to make them at all.

"Uncle Nate's going with us? Cool." Kat said.

"Actually…" Chuck cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably beneath the weight of those excited faces. "Uncle Nate is taking you. After our pizza and ice cream, we're going to visit with your mom for a bit but then you and your Uncle are going to head for the Garden."

"Oh." They echoed one another.

Son-of-bitch. He wondered if his father had even felt a fraction of the guilt now eating at him. Maybe he should go after all. Blair would be okay.

He could go to the game with the girls and Nate. Maybe tuck them into their own beds for the night. They'd have Dorota with them throughout the night. Same as if he was away on a business trip. Then he could still spend the night with Blair at the hospital. She wouldn't hold it against him for not wanting to let down their girls.

Evie shrugged, her expression clear of any recriminations, "Is Aunt Vanessa coming, too?"

"What?" Chuck frowned. They never failed to throw him. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be relieved or faintly insulted. No, he was relieved. With their entire lives flipped upside down in a matter of days, they seemed mostly unaffected. Okay with his absences and breaking with their "date" night at the Garden. "Um, I don't think Vanessa will be going tonight."

"Too bad. It so funny when she goes. Even though she always roots for the other team." Evie said.

"That 'cause everyone else is there to root for the Knicks." Kat reasoned, "Maybe she doesn't want the other team to feel real bad when they lose."

"Are we going to stay at Uncle Nate and Aunt Vanessa's? Or is Uncle Nate still spending the night at our house." Evie wondered.

"No." He said, "You're going to Grandma Lily's."

"And you're staying with Mommy." Kat nodded.

Chuck cleared his throat, "Right. That's okay with you guys, isn't it? You don't mind all the back and forth between Grandma Lily's, Uncle Eric, and Aunt S."

The girls shared a look before turning back to him, twin faces of confusion "No, it's fun." Kat answered.

Evie said, "Yeah we get to stay up extra late at Uncle Er—ow."

Her sister elbowed her. "_Evie_."

"Oh, right. Um…Aunt S lets us play with her clothes and make-up…and we makes sundaes and watch movies with Grandma. Plus she bowls with us on the Wii." Evie said.

"I see." Chuck nodded, his worries alleviated just the slightest that he'd been doing them a disservice.

"Don't be sad, Daddy." Kat told him. "Mommy's coming home soon, right?"

"Right."

"Good. Then we'll all get to go home. Hospitals are scary at night. That what Grandma Eleanor says and you have to keep Mommy company." His oldest daughter continued.

Eleanor. Two steps back. One step forward.

~ஐ~

Blair looked over her list. It was all coming together. She glanced around the empty hospital room. An old black and white movie was playing on the television but she'd long since muted it. Serena was calling Nate. Dorota was handling the heavy work. The nursing staff had been neutralized. For the night at least.

What else? What else? Visitors. Penelope and a few others had stopped by over the past few days, trickling in but never staying long. Still annoying as ever. Later she'd call down to make sure they didn't allow anymore visitors up.

Blair smiled, excited about her plans for the evening. A soft knock on the door broke into her musings. That smile fell away as Vanessa stepped into view. Well, great. Maybe she shouldn't have waited on having them cut off her visitors. This one was unexpected.

She hadn't seen the dark-haired woman since Christmas day. When she and Nate were being all weird with one another. Before Serena told Blair the exact reason behind the weirdness.

According to Serena, the other woman had been out and out avoiding her telephone calls and Nate didn't seem as if he'd been dealt yet another devastating blow from his other half.

"Hey, Blair."

"Vanessa." She said, not bothering to return the other woman's friendly smile.

"Serena will be sorry that she missed you. But please sit. She won't be gone very long."

That erased that damn smile and fast. Vanessa sighed, "She told you, didn't she?"

"And you haven't told Nate." Blair said, rolling her eyes. "What the hell are you doing here, Vanessa?"

"Honestly, I was trying to do something nice." She reached inside her purse. "I've been re-arranging things in the house…pre-pre spring cleaning I guess you could say. All that nervous energy has to go somewhere, right?"

"What is this?" Blair asked as Nate's wife shoved something into Blair's hands. She looked down. An unmarked DVD case.

"I found it earlier and thought of you. I mean Chuck has a copy but with everything—I wasn't sure if he thought about showing you."

Blair scoffed, not sure what to think. She looked at the case skeptically, "What is it…one of your lame, intrusive, documentaries?"

"I guess you could say that." Vanessa shrugged, "Only this one I think you'll want to see."

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** What's in the box? What's in the box? Sorry couldn't resist. Another superlong chapter that Wifey was a champ to read through for me in one sitting. Again…I just went and couldn't be stopped. Had to cut it off here…believe me or it would've kept going and going. Daddy!Chuck is feeling insecure and well a lot of things are going on. Olivia George? Could Chuckles be on to something and Gia's back. Poor guy's got a lot on his plate. Not the least of which is Dr. Will and plans to move his girl home sooner rather than later. S&B's designer label overdose. Sometimes, a girls gotta do what she's gotta do n'cest pas ;). Yes N/V slept with his wife and D/S almost kissed. This one isn't as Chair loaded down but promise that what's coming will more than make up for it. :kiss: Both Chuck and Blair have surprises in store for one another...hmm. LOL. Okay I should get to bed. Work tomorrow, ya know? As always let me know what you're thinking. And will update asap. :kiss:

Courtneyஐ


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Wow, can't believe how long it's been since the last update. I had this mostly written but then the show…basically became an exercise in insanity and time was needed to get back into the story. During the long summers and blocks of hiatus, the fics are our refuge. Our venue into what was unspoken or what should have happened. So I find that writing onward with this is a comfort and still makes me happy. I hope that you guys are still able to enjoy as much as before.

Just stay with it. The bull we've been seeing can't last. So until then. Here's more of CB's not quite fairytale. As always your words are love and big kiss to you all. Hug for my Fam and Wifey…love u bb. This one is for you and Isabelle.

* * *

**Chapter 20**ஐ

"I found it earlier and thought of you. I mean, Chuck has a copy but with everything—I wasn't sure if he thought about showing you."

Blair scoffed, not sure what to think. She glanced at the case skeptically, "What is it…one of your lame, intrusive documentaries?"

"I guess you could say that." Vanessa shrugged, "Only this one I think you'll actually like."

She looked up with questioning eyes, a lump in her throat.

Vanessa nodded in answer to the unspoken question. "I'm leaving now. I can only imagine what these past few days have been like for you. Then I ran across this and had to bring it over."

"I suppose I should say thank you, then." Blair said.

"Would you just…could you tell the girls that I said 'hi'? I haven't been able to see them as much as before?" She turned to go.

"They talk about you. A lot." Blair found herself saying. More than a lot. Blair was actually somewhat jealous of the other women in her daughters' lives. Lily and Serena. Dorota and her mother. And even this woman looking at her so gratefully.

"Would you tell Serena…tell her that I'm going to do it. I just haven't figured out how." Vanessa said before letting herself out, leaving Blair staring at the DVD case clutched in her hands.

"Okay, B. I think we're all set. I talked to Nate and he's in. Now we've got to get you ready…" Serena trailed off as came in a few minutes later to see Blair fixated and staring. "B? Earth to Blair. Hey, are you okay? What is that?"

"You just missed Vanessa." Blair held out the case to her best friend. "Would you put it in? Please?"

The blonde took it without a word. The worry was clear in her expression as she darted quick glances at her best friend, her feet carrying her steadily to the opposite of the room to do as Blair wanted.

Blair didn't know she was holding her breath until Nate's smiling face filled the small screen. Her breath came out in a whoosh. Okay. Not what she'd been expecting.

_Serena's disembodied voice filled the room, "Mom talked to the nurse. She said that we can't all go in."_

"_Well, we can hang out here. Serena, you take the camera." Vanessa's disembodied voice came as the camera panned away from Nate and landed on Blair's best friend. NICU signs and dancing teddy bears painted on walls could be seen behind the blonde's smiling face._

There was jostling as the camera switched hands and Nate and Vanessa stood together on the television screen.

_Vanessa said, "Today is August 3rd. Little Katherine Bass is almost 3 ½ weeks old and finally being taken off of her nasogastric tube. So another milestone."_

_Serena, Nate, and Eric could be heard giving a hushed cheer off-camera._

Blair gripped Serena's hand as the woman settled beside her on the bed. Still she couldn't drag her eyes away from the screen as camerawoman Serena left Nate, Vanessa, and Eric standing in the hallway. Soon enough she was seeing Lily's tentatively smiling face.

"_What's this, Serena?" Lily asked._

"_Vanessa thought it would be a good idea to 'document' the moment for prosperity and all." Serena's disembodied voice answered._

"_Here's your Daddy, little one." A woman was saying as the camera focused in on her and the pink bundle in her arms. _

And there was Chuck. Blair's hand went to her mouth. He was deathly pale and she could see his hands literally shaking as the nurse slipped the small bundle into his arms. Just as she was wishing Serena would zoom in closer, so that she could get a better look at the newborn hidden beneath that pink blanket, the camera moved in closer on father and daughter.

Her baby cried out. A soft mewling sound that truly did sound like a little cat. She'd been Daddy's little Kat from the beginning.

Blair couldn't help laughing as she watched panic skitter across Chuck's pale features.

_He tried to hand her off. "I'm not doing it right. Lily. Serena. Take her."_

_The nurse came back and handed him a bottle. She reached out and adjusted his hold on the little girl and soon enough the child was happily slurping away. "See. Baby just hungry. Now, Daddy needs to relax. Baby's are very sensitive to those around them. Relax and enjoy your little girl." _

_As the nurse stepped away, Lily came to stand at his side, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. "See Charles? Just a hungry cry. You've got a lot of that coming your way. That and so much more."_

_Serena called out, "Chuck. Say something to Blair." _

_His head shot up, his eyes casting wildly about the room, searching for Blair and finding nothing beyond Serena holding a camera. His resulting disappointment was a tangible thing._

"She's so tiny, S. Vanessa said three and a half weeks. How big is she here?"

"Four pounds, eight ounces."

"Oh my god." Blair shook her head, "What about before? When she was born?"

"Well…Kat came out first but she was smaller than Evie."

Unsatisfied with that, Blair pressed on for more. "How much smaller, Serena?"

"Evie was almost six pounds and Kat was almost half that." Serena said softly, drawing a horrified sound from her best friend.

"Almost? So not even three." Blair shook her head. "I don't understand. I was careful. I tried to eat all of the right things and do everything those stupid books said that I was supposed to."

"B," Serena used the remote to pause the DVD. Chuck's heart in his eyes as he looked down into his daughter's face. Her brown eyes looked on his as she suckled. "Listen to me. You didn't do anything wrong. Like you just said. You read the books. The doctors even said that it's completely normal for one twin to be smaller than the other." The blonde smiled, "Evie was pushy even from the womb, I guess. But Kat's strong. She can hold her own. She was smaller yes…but she was taken off of the ventilator and didn't need the feeding tube as long as the doctors thought she would. They even let her come home earlier. You didn't do anything wrong."

"It was too early. The doctors put me on bedrest…"

"And we all made sure you stuck to your doctors' orders." Serena countered.

"I let myself get too stressed. The situation with my Mom and Chuck. I should've just pushed it out of my mind." Blair argued, staring at the moment frozen in time. Just the tip of all she'd missed. Kat's first bottle. First feeding without some damn tube. How could Blair not wonder what she'd done wrong?

"All right, superwoman. When you learn that little trick could you please teach me." Serena teased.

"I suppose." Blair finally cracked a smile. She could worry over all the things she'd done wrong during her pregnancy, but in the end, all Blair truly needed to do was to look at her girls now to reassure herself that everything had worked out. Her girls were strong and healthy. "Can we watch more?"

"Fine. But you have to promise not to cry anymore." Serena said, but quickly found herself amending. "Okay, that might not work. How about…no more freaking out."

"I guess that's not asking for too much. We'll see. Push play." Blair instructed.

"Guess it's good then that I haven't started your makeup yet."

"Play."

Without another word, the movie carried on. The only sound in the room coming solely from the television screen.

The best friends watched for the next ten minutes as Kat finished her first bottle and an uncertain Chuck learned how to burp the fragile bundle cradled in his arms. Both came out of the experience none the worse. Chuck's entire focus centered there, his movements delicate and slow. His nerves in his eyes and unsteady smile whenever he glanced up at Lily or Serena. His confidence and color was slow in coming back and Blair was beyond happy when he finally relaxed, flashing that familiar, cocky grin.

All to soon, that nurse was carrying off the baby and the screen went dark.

Blair turned to Serena and started to ask if there were other DVDs, some small window into the life that she'd missed. She never got the chance. A new scene popped onto the television screen. Not the NICU this time, but a room far more familiar to Blair, stirring her memory.

It was Chuck, Eric, and Nate. The boys were sitting on the floor, surrounded by veritable mountain of parts. Nate was studying the empty box, sitting behind them, an image of the cribs that Blair vaguely remember picking out were emblazoned on the side. Eric appeared to be reading through the instructions and getting nothing out of it. Chuck seemed to be teetering between disgust and frustration. His hair was rumpled as if he'd run his fingers through it too many times and his jaw was unshaven.

"_Tell me again, why I didn't just hire someone to do this." He got to his feet and stretched out._

"_Consider it a rite of passage, Charles." Lily suggested, a small smile playing at her lips.._

The camera zoomed out until Blair could see the rest of the room. She suddenly knew exactly where they were. It was the guestroom directly across from Chuck's bedroom. They'd taken the queen-sized bed out of course and the décor was now in cream as well as the palest of pinks and purples. Lily was settled comfortably on the light carpet with piles of bags and baby clothes on either side of her. The same clothes that Blair and Serena had spent hours picking out. The older woman sat their, her hands careful and fingers deft as she folded one tiny piece of clothing after another, handing them off to Serena.

Her friend played with the delicate fabric, caressing each piece, testing the feel before stowing them in the armoire where Blair could see a few of the frilly baby dresses and less formal outfits that she'd chosen.

"_I can assure you that this is one rite of passage that does not need my attention." Air expelled, loud and harsh, as Chuck wandered over to sunbathed windows. He made a grab for one of the twin mobiles sitting side-by-side, his fingers flicked at the colorful fabric of handcrafted butterflies and bumblebees._

There was something so incredibly sad in the way he held the mobile, cradling one soft butterfly in his hand. Blair broke Serena's useless "no more tears rule" and wished that she could reach back across time and just hug him close. Blair found her own thoughts flitting back to the night of her seventeenth birthday party. That night when he hadn't let fear rule him. When he told her about the butterflies.

She remembered being horrified and utterly in awe of the fact that she could inspire…"fluttering," in Chuck Bass, but that had been just the tip of what they'd come to feel for one another. She'd been devastated when he'd just suddenly disappeared, leaving nothing behind for her to hold on except that damn note. Still, she'd be shaken but unmoved in her belief that he'd come home to her. Blair had been certain that he'd only be able to stay away for so long before he started to pick up the pieces of his shattered self, but he never came. Not until it was too late. Suddenly she was the one who'd gone away.

More than once, Blair found herself wondering if this was how Chuck had felt. Granted she'd been in the same room, but just as untouchable…just as out of reach, if not more so.

"_I think I've got it." Eric said tossing the instructions aside until they landed in Nate's lap. "Come on, Chuck. You'll feel better once it's done."_

"_Fine." He glared at them camera. "Vanessa, would you turn that stupid thing off. I doubt Blair would be amused with our bumbling attempts here."_

"_Oh, I disagree." Vanessa called out from behind the camera._

Blair couldn't agree more and for once was grateful for Punky's insane voyeuristic tendencies.

Sitting at her side, Serena alternated between watching the old footage and the span of Blair's emotions, right there for the world to see. In that face, Serena watched everything from heartbreaking sadness to out-and-out hilarity as the three boys on screen worked laboriously to put together not one but two cribs. Watching this, the blonde woman was taken back, flooded by her own memories of that time without her best friend.

--

_The Van der Bass Apartment, _August 2009

Serena stood in the doorway of what had been Bart's office before he'd died. Now her mother and Chuck shared the space. Her mother sat behind Bart's desk, her glasses perched on her nose as she scanned the paperwork laid out before her. Serena faltered, not sure of…No, very certain what her mother would say.

Her mother had been amazing over the past few weeks. Months. Taking in Blair when Eleanor threw her out for changing her mind about the adoption. Then Lily had gone toe-to-toe with the other woman after the girls' birth. The week from hell. Things had been touch and go with Kat who'd been so unbelievable small and hooked up to so many wires and tubes, her too sensitive eyes hidden from the world. The nurses had let them in to see the baby girl since her own grandmother refused to see her and B…B was still out of it. In a coma. It was all so unbelievable.

They'd failed in their efforts to bring Chuck home in time and Evie was given to strangers. Despite the fact that they were as much family as Eleanor. Maybe not in blood but Bart and her mother had signed the papers. Shouldn't that have been enough for that stupid judge to give her mother custody of the girls. Reason enough to buy them more time until they managed to get a location on Chuck? The judge hadn't thought it to be enough. He'd had the papers that Blair had signed. Copies of the ones that her friend had believe destroyed.

So, yes. Serena had brought Chuck home but it'd been too late. Evie was gone and they didn't know where to begin looking for her. Eleanor was being damned evasive. Now weeks later after the twins' birth, they were still no closer to finding Chuck and Blair's other little girl. Little Kat was getting stronger. They'd taken out the feeding tube weeks ago and they'd watched Chuck feed his daughter for the first time. And now the doctors were saying that she'd be able to come home soon, hence the hilarious hours they all spent trying to put the nursery together yesterday. She'd tried to remember all the things that her best friend had wanted but was sure that she'd missed more than one detail.

Lily glanced up and saw her just standing there, looking so lost. That seemed to be what they were all feeling these days. "Serena, sweetheart. What is it?"

"It can wait. You're busy."

Her mother protested, taking off her glasses. "I can take a break. Just a few briefs and proposals that Charles wanted me to look over. With Kat and just taking over everything at the company, he wanted my feedback. What's wrong, Serena?"

"Nothing's really _wrong_." Serena came inside and settled on the edge of the desk. "I was just thinking. Classes are in another few weeks and…"

"And you can't wait to get started." Lily finished.

"No, actually. I think it would be a good idea if…well if I took the semester off." Serena added quickly.

Her mother blinked owlishly as if she hadn't heard quite right. "I'm sorry, but have you lost your mind?"

"Mom, just hear me out…"

"You haven't even started the semester, for godsakes. Now you want time off," Lily remarked, incredulously. "No. It's not happening."

"I should be here. Chuck is going to need as much help as he can get. The doctors will be releasing Kat any day now and Eleanor and her lawyers can only stall for so long on handing over all the documents on Evie's adoption."

"Yes. And when she…when _they _get home, they'll have me and Eric and Dorota to play backup for your brother. You are going to school. End of discussion."

"No, I'm not."

"Excuse me, young lady?"

"I'm sorry, Mom. But I'm not going." Serena's mouth flattened, her arms crossing.

"Serena, New Haven is not on the other side of the world."

"It's far enough away. Suppose something happens with Blair?" Serena demanded. Eleanor was already barring them all from seeing her best friend, how could Serena even consider the possibility of leaving the city all together?

"Then we'll call you and you'll be on the first train out." The house phone trilled, punctuating the finality in Lily's words.

"Mom. Listen…"

Lily held up her hand and brought the phone to her ear, "Bass residence…Charles? What's wrong?"

Serena went still, her eyes glued to her mother's face. The immediate worry etched in her features gave way to a wide smile.

"Really? That's wonderful."

"What's wonderful?" Serena demanded softly. Every scenario under the sun running through her brain. Kat. Or…no Evie. They'd found Evie. Blair. She was afraid to ask. Was it Blair?

"No. Eric is at Jonathan's but I'll call him. Serena and I should be there shortly. This is truly wonderful news. Don't sound so worried. It'll be okay." She hung up the phone and stood to her feet.

"What is it?"

"Kat's coming home." Lily answered, hurrying from the office and leaving Serena to follow.

"Really? That's great. When? Tomorrow?" Serena asked.

"No. Today. Within the next few hours. Charles said the doctors told him that she's ready. They were going to release her tomorrow but your brother talked them into letting her go today." Lily informed her daughter as they made their way to the mostly finished nursery. "He needs Kat's carseat and something for her to wear home. Do you know if Blair had anything picked out?"

Serena shook her head. There hadn't been any time. The girls had come far too early. She followed her mother inside the newly painted nursery. They cribs sat side-by-side, each with identical mobiles of butterflies and bumblebees in-flight. Her mother headed straight for the armoire filled with all of the baby clothes and blankets that Blair had gone crazy buying. Serena smiled, remembering the hours spent in Bergdorf's and Barney's, marveling and giggling with Blair over all of the tiny, little outfits. And okay so maybe she'd gone a bit crazy herself, tossing in just as many of the tiny garments as Blair.

Little booties, socks, baby caps, blankets, and bodysuits. The soft, little bibs with cute messages, one with little ballet slippers and another with the simple declaration "Daddy's Little Princess." Neither she nor B mentioned Chuck's continued absence. Just as they'd been about to leave, Blair had spotted it, grabbing up two of each. Her best friend had fallen silent, as if daring Serena or anyone else to voice their contradiction. Despite everything, a small part of B never stopped believing that he'd come back and that he'd love their babies as much as she had.

"That one." Serena said now, as her mother packed one of the diaper bags. She grabbed one of the "Daddy's Little Princess" bibs and a pale purple bodysuit. Her fingers stroked stitches depicting of Barney's Lions.

This was a step in the right direction. Kat was coming home. So everything else would be as it should. Evie would be home and Blair was going to wake up. She had a good feeling. Everything was going to be okay.

--

_Present Day_

Serena sighed. She hadn't exactly been wrong. Things just hadn't all happened, as quickly as, any of them would've liked.

"You said she came home right after this?" Blair looked around Serena's head to catch sight of the television.

The blonde nodded, "Yes, she did. Now would you stop moving around so much. You're one who wanted your make-up and hair ready for tonight. Chuck's going to be here any minute with the girls. Did you change your mind about tonight?"

Blair sighed and reached for the remote. "No. I guess we've watched enough for now. The rest can wait until later. Maybe Chuck could watch with me."

"Maybe 'Chuck' could watch what with you?" The man himself asked, pushing the door open.

Blair couldn't help the bright smile that stretched her mouth. Of course she was sad that she couldn't have been there, but seeing Chuck with their daughter was a joy beyond mere words. One that only he could share with her. She motioned to freeze-framed moment of Chuck and Eric lifted one assembled crib. "Vanessa brought me a present."

Chuck didn't return her smile as he stared at the television screen. "So I see."

The girls rushed in, distracting Blair from their father's strange behavior. He seemed almost transfixed as he wandered closer to the frozen image. Serena frowned at her brother as the girls swarmed the bed, hugging their mother.

"Oh my God. Look at you guys." Blair held them away, trying to get a look at them in their outfits. Both girls wore their dark hair pulled away from their faces in high ponytails. They were in dark jeans and Knicks' t-shirts, Kat's blue and Evie's in white.

"Mommy, are you coming, too?" Evie looked down at Blair's jeans and blouse.

Jeans which their father still hadn't commented on. She resisted the urge to pout. "No. Wish I could." And she really meant it. Anything would be better than being in that hospital room. Even watching a bunch of men running up and down the court dribbling a ball. She'd watched the game a few times with her father, but he'd been more into college football. Her girls apparently loved their trips to the Garden whether for the Knicks and Rangers. She glanced over at their father. What was he doing? "Chuck?"

--

August 2009

Lily and Serena arrived shortly after he'd called with the news about Kat. Excitement had them practically bouncing off the walls, while Chuck was feeling beyond terrified. Insisting that Kat be allowed to come home today had been a good idea _in theory_. It certainly had felt good and sounded that way when he'd been speaking with the doctors earlier.

Now the reality was upon them and Chuck wondered if everyone had lost their fucking minds.

They were sending him home with this tiny, helpless little girl. They were actually trusting him to get it right and not totally screw up within the first hour.

I can't do this, he thought. The same panicked revelation echoing louder and louder at the back of his brain, demanding release. He opened his mouth. Tried to tell them, but then Lily was coming at him.

"Here she is, Charles."

And yes there she was. She was still so small even with the weight she'd put on. Lily and Serena had worked their magic, dressing Kat in some purple sleeper thing and matching baby socks. There was even a little cap covering her dark, silken curls.

"One last bottle for the road and then this little one is ready for home." The nurse said. "Isn't that right, my pretty one."

Chuck had no choice but to take the small bundle in his arms. The baby blinked up at him. He waited for her face to screw up and for _her _to sound the alarm, telling the world that Chuck Bass didn't know what the hell he was doing and for some sane person to get him the hell away before he dropped her or forgot to feed her or a million and one other things he'd get wrong. She didn't make a sound. No, that was wrong. She gave a little baby sigh and God he'd swear that she smiled at him.

And here was Serena with that damn camera pointed at him. Liable to capture every one of his missteps. "S, would you turn that off."

"Nope." Serena grinned. "Mom, the bib."

"Oh, right. Don't feed her yet. Wouldn't want to make a mess all over those pretty new clothes." Lily said and fussed over the baby, her fingers nudging until Kat's curled around, latching on. Her eyes, wide with fascination as she looked from him to Lily and then back again. Her bow mouth quirked as if she understood the gibberish spewing from his father's widow as she latched around Kat's neck. "There we are. Not our girl is perfect. Are you ready, huh? Ready to go home, sweet Katherine? No?" She tipped her head, listening as if silently communicating with the baby. "Oh, I see. Food first. How could I have forgotten? I won't let Daddy forget."

Chuck rolled his eyes at Lily's "babytalk," but somehow found that he was smiling as he glanced down to survey her handiwork. glanced down and saw the words. The simple message on the tiny bib, stealing his breath.

"Blair picked it out." Serena told him.

He nodded as if he'd known. But he hadn't. The significance wasn't lost on him either. She'd been waiting. Somehow Blair had known that he'd come and that he'd fall head over heels for his daughters…same as he'd fallen for her. Blair trusted him. Absently, he accepted the bottle from the nurse.

Almost immediately, Kat latched on and began suckling, stronger and steadier than that first time. All the while, her eyes never once left his. Her baby face so serious, those alert eyes studied him.

"I'm taking her to see Blair." Chuck declared, surprising himself and the two women who'd been alternately cooing over the baby and chattering about the dozens of things that needed to be done.

His adoptive mother cleared her throat, "Do you think that's such a good idea? Eleanor has made it clear…"

"I don't give a damn…."

"Language, Charles."

Fuck. There went that first hour. Cut me some slack, kid. He looked down at Kat. I'm bound to mess up. At least a few hundred times a day. Just bear with me, baby, he implored silently.

She farted and then burped, milk trickling from the side of her mouth. "Done?" He pulled the bottle away from her mouth slowly. Chuck waited for the briefest of seconds to see if her little face screwed up but it didn't and this time he damn well saw her smile. "I'm taking her to see her mother. It's not right they've both been here all this time and haven't been in the same effing room since day one. It's not right."

"I agree with you whole-heartedly. But Harold told us that he would try to make her see reason."

"It's been weeks, Lily. I have to bribe the friggin' staff to tell me anything." Well not all of them. More than one of the nurses had been willing to help without him actually handing over money but he still shouldn't have to ask someone else. He should be able to see her with his own eyes. Not have Harold running interference for him. No one could make that evil bitch see reason, though. Not Cyrus. Not Lily. And certainly not her ex-husband.

"Okay." Lily said, "We'll try to see Blair."

Less than fifteen minutes later, they were downstairs outside of Blair's private room. The nurses glanced up. Some smiled when they caught sight of the baby in his arms, while others exchanged worried glances.

The last time anyone had seen him down there, he'd gotten into it with one of the guards at B's door. Not the first or last time since the whole damn thing started. Of course, they didn't know about the few times that he'd been able to sneak in. Able to steal just a few minutes that only left him hungry for more time with her. It'd been late and he'd found an ally in one of the guards.

"Mr. Bass. I'm going to have to ask you to turn around." The big guy stood to his feet, standing almost a half a foot taller than Chuck himself. Definitely not the same guy who'd taken pity on him.

"Not happening. I'm going in there. Please…try and stop me."

"Yes and give us a nice, wide smile for your close-up." Serena stepped closer camera in hand and getting a good view of the man looming over Chuck with the pink bundle in his arms.

"He just wants a few minutes. You can let him in." Lily came to stand beside Chuck. "We just want to take the baby inside. Let her spend a few minutes with her mother before we take her home. Please."

The man glanced away from the camera in Serena's hand, back down to the baby and Lily's imploring expression. His own softened and he held up his hands in a helpless gesture. "I would if I could, but Mrs. Rose is inside and I need this gig."

"I'll give you a job." Chuck said, "You do know who I am, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do, but…"

"On the spot. No questions asked. I'll double your fuckin…effing salary." He held the baby closer to him, on the verge of begging or cursing and not wanting his daughter to hear him do either.

"She'll just hire someone else and you can't really buy them all off. Give them all jobs."

"Try me." Chuck challenged, "I've got more than enough capital, if necessary. Come on."

Nodding wordlessly, the man stepped back, opening the door for them.

"And the beautiful princess…" Eleanor looked up from her place at Blair's beside, the book of fairytales in her hands a parody of what should've been. She froze at the sight of Chuck and his family framed in the doorway.

Kat's baby yawn, a small sound that broke into the stillness and drew her maternal grandmother's attention.

Eleanor blinked at the bundle in his arms, as quickly as her gaze landed she was wrenching her eyes away. She didn't look at Chuck or any of the others. She glared instead at the guard whose hand still rested on the knob. "What do you think you're doing?"

"The right thing. You should try it, Eleanor." Lily said, ushering her family inside.

"Morality lessons from you?" Eleanor scoffed at the very idea. "Please. Get them out now. Or you're fired."

"I afraid that he no longer works for you." Chuck told her, his eyes trained on the sleeping woman. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and greeted her with a soft kiss. Eleanor and anyone else who didn't like it could go straight to hell.

Blair's mother came around the bed. To do what he wasn't sure and she didn't seem to know either as she stopped a few feet away from him, her hands fisted at her side, the book she'd been reading to Blair still clutched in one hand.

"Why can't you just leave her in peace? Haven't you done enough? Don't think I wasn't aware of your father's opinion of you and I couldn't agree more. You bring havoc and confusion to everything. My daughter would be perfectly fine…getting ready to go away to college…to start her life if not for you and _those _children."

"Those…being _our _grandchildren. No more of that venom you've been spewing, Eleanor. You'll regret it one day."

"Are you threatening me, Lily?"

"No, I'm just telling the truth. Find it threatening, do you?"

Eleanor finally caught sight of Serena who'd been unusually silent. "What do you think you're doing with that?"

The blonde shrugged. "We figured that when B _does _wake up, she'd want to see all that she'd missed. Like you…keeping Chuck away from her. Keeping her away from her babies. She's going to wake up. Any day now. And she's going to hate you."

"Get out." Eleanor said softly, then she practically yelled it, her entire body taunt and furious, edging between him and the hospital bed. "Get out!!"

Kat took exception to her grandmother's yelling and let out her own cry, screeching out her own displeasure. For the first time, Eleanor looked down into her granddaughter's face. The older woman stumbled back, her eyes flying away from the baby's face, landing on any and everywhere else.

"You can't even look at her, can you?" Chuck said, his tone soothing as he instinctively rocked the baby in his arms. "Feeling guilty?"

She met his eyes in a defiant glare that was so very reminiscent of the brunette who slept only a touch away from him. "I have nothing whatsoever to feel guilty about."

"The hell you don't." Chuck said quietly, a dark smile caressing the beautiful angles of his face. A fallen angel out for blood. "But you're going to feel it and soon. On that you have my word. Now get the hell out of my way…you evil old bitch. It's long past time that I introduced Blair to one of her daughters."

Eleanor stood stock-still as he edge around her and settled on the edge of Blair's hospital bed.

"B, I'd like you to meet Katherine Lillian Bass," he cleared his throat, trying to get past the basketball suddenly lodged there, "I know you named Evie for my mother and I'm truly honored, but there's no fucking way that either of our daughters will bear your mother's name. No effing way." He felt Eleanor at his back but didn't turn around. "I'll bring Evie to you, as soon as I get her back. I'll bring her to you. Promise."

"You should just let them go. All of them. That child is with a family who can take care of her and that baby in your arms deserves no less."

Lily shook her head, "Their family is right here in this room. You included, for whatever that's worth."

"It's worth nothing." Chuck hissed softly. "Don't even bother, Lily."

Eleanor shook her head. "Look, I'll be back in this room in 10 minutes with hospital security. Do us all a favor and be gone? And before you get any other ideas I'm taking her out of this place…no more late night visits or bribing my guards, so make it count."

She left them alone, almost running down the security guard as she hurried from the room.

"Chuck…"

--

_Present Day_

He'd done the right thing. The DVD reminded him of that fact. It wasn't _all _about revenge, Chuck told himself.

Those first few years he'd wanted her as far away from New York as possible. The last thing that he wanted his daughters growing up with was Eleanor spreading her poison. Making them believe that they were responsible for their mother's condition.

Months after their confrontation in Blair's hospital room, Chuck found himself watching the DVD, wanting nothing more than to burn the damn thing. But he'd kept it. Sure that he might be able to use it against Eleanor in some way down the road.

Her words intended to be swipes at him, falling onto his girls. That had burned and infuriated him. It reminded him of years spent living with the specter of his mother's death and Bart's resentment. The very idea of Evie or Kat feeling even a fraction of what he'd felt growing up, had driven Chuck initially in his vengeance. Sure he'd wanted her career destroyed, that which she held most dear, but more than anything he'd wanted Blair's mother as far away from his children as possible.

Now she was back.

Listening to her girls with one ear, Blair's attention flickered to Chuck's still form as he stood in front of the television screen. He stood unmoving, as if confronting the frozen image of his eighteen year old self.

She tried to glimpse what he could be feeling. What he'd felt back then. When he'd come home and found himself suddenly responsible for two infants. Granted she'd done everything she could to tell him. Her letter undelivered. Lily's people searching for him to no avail.

Ultimately, it had been Serena who'd finally tracked him down, thanks to their old friend, Kati. Her best friend had found him and he'd been thrown headfirst into parenthood.

Blair could only imagine what that had felt like. She'd had five minutes to agonize before the stick turned blue. Weeks pretending that her entire world remained unchanged and months of Gossip Girl blasts where the nosy bitch kept all interested parties in the know on her pregnancy and Chuck's continued M.I.A status. Unlike Chuck, she'd had time to feel go through it all. She'd had not quite nine months to get used to the idea, to trust herself with the two little lives that she'd carried inside.

She remembered how alone she'd felt, even with Serena always there. Standing by her side during her minions failed "coup" or draggingher to senior prom. Little J, Eric, Lily, Cyrus and even her mother to an extent had been there for her but watching the DVD, seeing Chuck, reminded her just how very much alone she'd felt, despite being surrounding…simply because _he_ hadn't been there with her.

Blair dragged her eyes away from that solitary form and looked to her best friend. "S, could you…" She motioned to the twins.

Nodding, Serena drew the girls' attention in her direction. "Hey, guys. I was talking to your Grandma earlier. What this I hear about a new Robbie Raccoon story?"

The girls pounced instantly, excitedly talking over one another as they filled in their aunt on the details of Robbie Raccoon's love affair with the frog princess who'd given up on toads.

Blair heard them, but their words didn't sink in. No more than anything they'd said in the past few minutes had reached Chuck. He was right there in the room, yet miles or rather years away from them. She didn't bother with the walker, but used the bed and furniture to steady herself as she moved up behind him.

"Chuck?" She whispered, close enough to reach out and touch him, but he didn't seem to hear her. Blair came around to face him, leaning one hand against the wall for support and the other she waved before his sightless eyes. "Hey. Are you okay?"

He blinked rapidly, eyes focusing on her finally. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

"What? Of course."

"You're lying." Blair read the wash of anger, sadness, and absolute vulnerability in his entire bearing before he shut down on her. "Talk to me? Did something go wrong at your meeting?"

"My meeting went off exactly as I wanted." Chuck pulled her away from the wall, so that she was leaning into him. "C'mere, Waldorf. You should be in bed."

"I am beyond sick of that bed."

"I know. You'll be out of this place soon enough," he told her, the smile he'd been forcing becoming something real and true as he looked at her. That familiar, cocky grin lit up his entire face. "Look at you."

She flushed as he finally took note of her new pajama-free existence.

"Jeans?" Chuck teased, one hand playing absently with the ends of shining brown curls. "Hot date, Waldorf?"

"As a matter of fact." Her hands came up automatically, holding on to him as she shifted her weight. She watched him, searching for the tumult of emotions that she'd briefly glimpsed moments before, but it was gone as if it had never been. There was nothing vulnerable in the look of pure male appreciation on his face as his eyes skimmed the length of her jean-clad legs and slowly drifted back up. It was exactly the reaction that she'd wanted when she'd been trying them on earlier with Serena and Dorota.

"Anyone I know?"

Okay so he didn't want to talk about whatever had been bothering him earlier. Fine. She could pout about it or play along until he let his guard down. Blair opted for the latter, one hand unconsciously reaching out to stroke his dark hair. She retorted softly, "Probably not. I'll have to introduce you once he gets here."

"Yes, I think I'd like to meet this man before he officially ceases to exist."

"Daddy, we left Mommy's stuff in the car. You have to go get it before it gets all melted and yucky." Evie said.

"Damn."

"Daddy." Kat censored.

"Sorry, baby. Won't happen again."

"Yes it will."

"Probably, just don't rat me out to Dorota, okay?" He turned back to Blair. "Come on, why don't you sit here."

"Why don't you take me with you? Dr. Will said that a little exercise wouldn't hurt. The fresh air would do me good. Really, Bass."

"You want me to break you out? What've you been conspiring with those two?" He motioned to the twins, looking between his three girls. Lingering once more one Blair's jeans. Or rather the curves beneath them. "All you're missing is a Knicks t-shirt."

He waited for her to turn up that pretty little nose at that and let him know in no uncertain terms that Blair Waldorf, did not do "t-shirts." Only she looked to be considering his words. "Don't even think about it, Blair."

"Well, how about we just sneak outside for a few minutes. I miss the sun on my face. Really on my face, not through the window." She told him. "I'm sure Dr. Will…"

Chuck rolled his eyes. He was getting really tired of hearing about "Dr. Will." Still the hunger in Blair's voice when she spoke of missing something as simple as the feeling of the sun caressing her face, made him tamp down on his annoyance with the ubiquitous Doc and resolve to talk to the man about getting the okay to at least let B out for fresh air. Maybe even push the Doc again about releasing her entirely. Hell, if not for his worries over McCarty he'd have gotten Harold to sign her out of St. Vincent's days ago. "One thing at a time, Blair. Let me talk to Chambers."

Once he hurried from the room to rescue her melted ice cream from the limo, Blair took the opportunity to rope Kat and Evie in on the surprise for their Daddy. She called Dorota to be sure that her old maid had everything standing by once Serena signaled the "go-ahead." The twins had fun playing lookout as she and S made quick work of her make-up and hair.

The girls were likely far too interested in the goings-on in that hospital room to wonder where he'd gone. Kat and Evie seemed to grow more enthralled with each visit, each day that passed, as they finally got to know their mother for themselves.

Chuck didn't return to the room immediately. Instead, he detoured by Chambers' office. The package with Blair's ice cream turned milkshake in one hand.

"Bass. Come in." The bastard was in his office, shuffling paperwork. Chambers stood briefly as Chuck stepped inside and motioned for him to have a seat.

"Please. Sit." He glanced at the package in Chuck's hand and smiled. "For Blair I take it."

"It was." Chuck cleared his throat, setting the soggy white bag on the edge of the man's desk. "Listen, I wanted to know if you'd thought about what we discussed the other day."

"Well, I was hoping that you or Blair's parents would reconsider your decision. If you're not going to use St. Vincent's facilities for Blair's recovery, then take her back to the private hospital…this pseudo-facility that you're having built."

"Will provide Blair with far superior equipment and one-on-one treatment from the private staff that I've hired." Chuck finished dryly. "Look, I don't understand the hold up. All of her tests have come back clear. You've unhooked her from most of the monitors. She's talked to the psychologist. More than once…"

"You haven't…" Chambers planted his chin on steepled hands.

Glaring at the man, Chuck reminded, "I'm not your patient, _Doctor._"

"No, but you'll be acting as the main support system for Blair. What's happened is a great trauma for all of those close to her? It's highly advisable that you speak with Trisha, as well."

"Noted." He said, his jaw clenching and locking of it's own volition. "Look. Blair's sick of being stuck inside and wants the freedom to get around more. You gave her that damn walker, so you must think she's getting stronger. She's had the preliminary visits from St. Vincent's physical therapist."

"I'm fully aware that you'd like to take her home, as soon as possible."

"Damn right I would."

"But some things shouldn't be rushed simply because you'd like to have things your way. Blair's health must the paramount concern here."

Mouth twisted and as sardonic as his words, Chuck said. "Of course."

"Glad that we can agree on that." Chambers retorted, "Now, I've already informed the nurses that Blair could have the freedom to go about the floor. I just can't sign off on her leaving the hospital entirely at this stage."

"Fine. But, my people are working day and night to have everything ready in time. My daughters would love to have their mother home with them." With us, hung in the air, unspoken and yet understood by the two men.

"Noted." Chambers nodded.

"I'd better get back." Chuck stood to his feet, swiping the package of melted ice cream as he turned to go.

Chambers cleared his thread, "Bass. One other thing. This is a hospital. It might be best, if when visiting hours are at their end, that you left just like everyone else. I can understand why you wouldn't want to be separated from her for even a night, but this hospital has policies and you can…"

"Maybe they need to be changed."

"Pardon me."

"I said. Maybe someone needs to go back and rewrite them. These policies. My mother is good friends with the Chief of Staff. I'm sure that if I had a chat with him then we could clear things up."

The doctor offered a mirthless smile. "I'm sure that wouldn't be necessary."

"Of course." Chuck started for the door, "Please do consider that timetable that I was speaking to you about. It'd be a shame if we couldn't figure this thing out between ourselves…involving third parties can become, well messy. I'll tell B that you said hello."

_Not! _He strode from Chambers' office, feeling the weight of the doctor's eyes on his back. Perhaps it wasn't the best of ideas to goad the man, but it felt damn good. The bastard was attracted to Blair and flirted openly with her. And Blair, damn her, seemed to find it funny. Teasing and lightly accusing him of being jealous of the guy's beside manner.

One thing he was certain of was that if the bastard didn't stop dragging his feet, Chuck would follow through on his threat to go over Chamber's fucking head.

Just a few more days. Once he was truly certain that Blair was on the road to recovery, he'd make the call. His thought again of the DVD. Some much time had been wasted already. No more.

Chuck returned to Blair's room, melted ice cream in hand. An air of conspiracy hung as thick as a storm cloud, and their hushed whispers fell silent the moment he stepped inside. Their eyes darted in his direction.

He looked from one face to another, until his eyes landed on Blair's. She was sitting in a wheelchair and the expression on her face a dead giveaway that she was up to something. "Did I miss something?"

"Actually, you did, Bass. What took you so long…whatever, doesn't matter," she said, "Come on. You can push while Serena distracts the floor nurse."

"We're going to help Auntie S." Evie told him.

"Yeah, so you have to take Mommy," her sister added.

"How about someone let me in on the plan." His daughters gave him a look that clearly demanded that he keep up.

"We're sneaking Mommy downstairs."

"Downstairs?" And right out the door? Were they still plotting to get their mother courtside for the Knicks?

"We're going to see Jenny." His sister at least decided to show some mercy.

Jenny. That was the big mystery. Chuck started to tell them that there was no reason for the high drama and subterfuge since Chambers had pretty much given Blair leave to move freely. Well, freely about the hospital, for now at least. In the end, Chuck decided not to say anything. The scheming foursome all looked so pleased with themselves and their plan that he couldn't bear being the one to burst their collective bubble.

"What do you say, Bass? Are you in or not?"

"Oh, I'm in." Chuck hissed, his mouth twisted into a satisfied smirk. Granted it wasn't anywhere near the masterpieces that he and Waldorf had come up with in the past but damn if it didn't feel like a good start.

Excitement rushed through her as she watched him. She waited for him to turn on her with those knowing eyes and call her out for her little ruse. Of course, she wanted to see Jenny. The blonde had briefly visited Blair two days after she woke up. She'd been quiet and there had been a strange tension between the younger woman and her mother. Despite her promises otherwise, Jenny hadn't come back to visit.

Serena had told her about the fire that had injured the blonde and destroyed her business. She told Blair how the blonde might not regain full use of her right hand and according to S's late night conversations with Brooklyn, little J wasn't handling that possibility very well.

Jenny had stuck by her during one of the hardest periods in her life and Blair figured that it was only right to return the favor. Two birds with one stone, really. On the one hand, they'd be able to visit poor Jenny. If Serena and Blair couldn't cheer the girl up then there was no way that she'd be able to resist the awesome powers of charm and wit that Kat and Evie already wielded with such ease. Then on the other hand, they'd be able to keep Chuck distracted for a while so that Dorota could work her magic.

The twins disappeared down the hall with their Aunt. Chuck and Blair shared a long grin, bodies stiff and waiting for the signal. It wasn't long in coming. Blair cringed inwardly, rolling her eyes once the unnatural, high pitch of Serena's laugh or cackle rather, scrapped at her ears.

Chuck groaned but didn't move behind Blair until the sound came again, traveling further away from Blair's hospital room. All at once, the duo was on the move. By the time, they made it pass the nurse's station, the area was deserted.

"Good work, S." Blair whispered and gave a silent thanks to the nurses for agreeing to help them.

"Hold the elevator." Chuck called out but the doors were sliding shut and no one moved to wait for them.

"Well, that was rude."

Chuck stabbed at the call button. "Welcome back to the world, B."

"Maybe we should take the stairs."

Her head craned around to meet his doubtful glance, as he stared pointedly at the wheelchair that the nurses had insisted on as a condition of their cooperation with her plan. She didn't really need it. Not really. She felt much more secure on her own two feet these days. Chuck suddenly didn't look very impressed with all of her hard-won progress.

She glared at him defensively. "I could walk. Besides it would be good for me."

"Not happening. It's the chair or no visit."

"You could always carry me."

"Down four flights and the maze of hallways in this place?" He chortled, stabbing at the button again, "Yeah, that wouldn't be at all conspicuous."

"Hush." She laughed, swatting at him playfully. The elevator dinged and opened up on an empty car. They hurried on, Chuck grunting and feigning exhaustion. Blair rolled her eyes at his antics. "You're horrible. Now stops messing around before you get us caught."

"As you wish." He sketched a quick bow and turned to press the button for Jenny's floor. His fingers stopped, hovering over the one button that would take them to the first floor. The one that would eventually lead them home.

Blair held her breath, waiting. Do it, she wanted to tell him and he actually turned to her. That smile that made her week and the question right there in her eyes.

Before either could speak, the twins and Serena were hurrying onto the elevator. They were still riding high on their parts in the scheme.

"We did it." Kat high-fived her sister as the other little girl whooped, jumping up and down. The girls were certainly having fun in getting one over their Daddy. The years to come would be interesting, indeed.

"Jenny it is, then." Chuck whispered before his fingers danced upward and pressed at the fourth floor. He gave blame a quick smile, his regret in those soft, brown eyes.

His sister missed nothing of the unspoken exchange and raised questioning brows.

"Later." Was all he said, he eyes falling back to Blair's as he repeated the single word. Spoken like another promise of things to come. "Later."

One that Blair couldn't wait to have fulfilled.

The five descended on the youngest Humphrey. She shared a worried glance with Serena as they both caught sight of the crumpled balls of paper littering the floor.

Jenny caught them in the act and couldn't hide her bitterness as she glanced down at her injured hand. She waved at them with her left, holding a pencil with an awkward grip. Only once she caught sight of the girls did the young blonde, tossing the pencil away in disgust. She forced a smile for Evie and Kat.

"Hey, you guys."

As Blair predicted it wasn't long before the twins worked their magic. While Lil J was distracted and actually laughing with the girls, Blair caught Chuck in the corner of her eye. For the most part, he'd been quiet, sitting off to the side with his cell phone in hand. He didn't say much as Jenny steered the conversation everywhere but her injuries and prognosis for full recovery. She quizzed the girls about school, checked in with Serena about her job at the magazine, and questioned Blair about her visits from their old "friends."

Blair kept her attention trained openly on Jenny as she interacted with the twins, but she didn't miss Chuck's movement out of the corner of her eye. He'd leaned down and scooped up one of the balled up papers.

He unraveled it slowly, not wanting to draw the designer's attention as he smoothed the wrinkled page. He frowned, his expression dark and thoughtful before he folded the page, as careful as he'd been before to unravel it and slipped it into his pocket. He shot of a quick succession of texts that piqued Blair's curiosity.

She wanted to ask what he was doing? Blair wondered why he seemed so disturbed by Little Jenny Humphrey's personal tragedy.

The brunette wasn't left long with her questions for once as Jenny looked up, searching out Chuck's seat by the window. For the first time since they'd entered the room, she addressed Chuck and the subject of the fire that had left her injured.

The twins were distracted and using Jenny's discarded drawing pad and pencils, scratching furiously across the page.

Blair could almost swear that she sense envy in Lil J. Her attention going back now and again to her right hand. The younger woman's expression hardened, she asked, "Chuck, have you heard from a Detective Miller? He's investigating the fire. He said he was going to contact you."

"Why would he want to talk to Chuck?"

Blair's attention was on Jenny so she missed the quick glance exchanged between her best friend and her children's father.

The blonde shrugged, "I don't know. I told the guy that you were out of the country last Saturday. I guess he's looking into everyone. He asked about your investment in the company."

Chuck had invested in Jenny's company? Hmm, Blair mulled that one over. Her mind spun back to her last visit with the other woman. Neither Jenny, nor her mother had uttered a single word to one another, Blair now realized.

Did her mother resent the blonde's success when her own career had been in decline or was there something more to it?

"Yes, I spoke with Miller…briefly." Chuck answered. These days Nathaniel played the go-between with the Detective. Not that they were telling the man what little they'd learned about the Franklin family. "He didn't have any leads as far as I could tell. Sorry, Jenny."

He hated the necessity of the lie, but Brooklyn could play the big hero for his little sister once they tracked down the arsonist. Besides, at this point, Dan was in full agreement to keep as few people as possible in the know. Who knew if the arsonist might have singled the reporter out now on the chance that he'd seen the firebug's face.

Damned if Chuck didn't wish that was the case.

His phone vibrated, stealing his attention. Thank God. "Nate's on his way up." He informed the room. "I'll just take the girls to meet him."

"No!" Serena and Blair said at once.

"Um, actually." His sister said.

Blair cleared her throat, "Chuck, we're all having a nice visit. There's more than enough time for Nate and the girls to make it to the game before kick-off."

"Tip-off." He corrected, smiling despite himself.

She gave him a look that told him just how much she gave a damn about the distinction. Kick-off. Tip-off. Whatever.

"Um, Chuck. Blair's right. We're all having so much fun together."

"Well, you ladies can stay. The girls are going to be late." Not really, but he wanted to get the hell out of that room before Jenny started asking questions that he didn't have answers for.

Jenny looked at them all as if they'd lost their collective minds. "It's okay. I was feeling tired, anyway. Think I'll try to take a nap."

"You're not tired." Blair almost glared at the woman in the hospital bed. She forced herself to relax. Come on, guys. Dorota needs more time. Work with me, Lil J. She tried to find a way to signal the other girl without Chuck seeing, but he was so there, damn him. "Come on. You've been in this place longer than I have. Tell me you're not bored out of your mind."

"I actually go home day after tomorrow." She told them brightly, but then seemed to remember the fire. Her business and apartment were both gone in one fell swoop, "Or whatever my Dad's been able to drum up."

"It's been taken care of." Chuck said. He'd given Humphrey the details for a property with ties to Bass industries in the vaguest sense. It hadn't been one of his personal projects as Jennifer's had been. There were a half dozen shell corporations that his firebug would have to get through to connect the property to BI and Chuck. He already felt guilty enough as it as, the crumpled page burning a hole in his pocket as it heralded the premature ending of a young career. Damn he needed to get out of here.

"I guess I should say thanks, then." Jenny said.

Not really. Chuck stood to his feet, motioning to Kat and Evie. "Ladies. Time to go. Serena. Blair. Why don't you just hang out down here for a bit. I'll head upstairs and take care of a few things. Paperwork that I need to look through from today's meeting."

She shared a panicked glance with Serena as Chuck gathered up the girls. Before Blair could find her footing and think of some excuse to keep him in that room a moment longer, the twins were kissing her goodbye and hurrying from the room with there father. The door barely shut behind them when Blair's belated tongue finally came back to her. "S!" Blair gripped her friend's arm.

"Ow, B. My arm."

"He's going to ruin everything. Quick. Text, Nate. Text him now and tell him to stall."

"Okay. Would someone like to tell me what's going on here? Please."

Blair looked up from watching Serena frantic attempts at contacting Nate before he met up with Chuck and the girls. Jenny. _Jenny._ Blair smiled. Another set of hands or uh…hand wouldn't go amiss at this point, and the young blonde could use the further distraction from her current troubles. "Lil J. How'd you like to help us with a little project that we're working on?"

~ஐ~

As promised Nathaniel met up with Chuck near the elevators, but instead of his best friend taking off with the twins the other man seemed to be in no hurry leave.

Feeling stirrings of pride, Chuck tried not to shake his head in wonder. He stood outside the limo looking at his best friend. Nathaniel had talked him all the way downstairs with and a good fifteen minutes passed before Chuck figured out that he was being stalled. They talked about everything from their current standstill since tracking down the Franklin house to the Knicks chances for a win that night. He'd been mulling over saying anything about the Olivia George development or waiting for confirmation from Mike's guy in Prague when the pieces fell into place.

What was that woman up to now? He wondered, thinking back to her strange behavior earlier in Jenny's room.

He narrowed his eyes at Nate. Obviously, she'd had help. And Nathaniel was going to tell him everything he knew. Everything. The poor guy just didn't know it yet. Chuck sighed regretfully and made a show of looking at his watch. "Well, Nathaniel. You better get a move on or you'll miss the kick-off as Blair likes to put it."

Nate frowned his confusion. "What?"

"Nevermind."

"Right. One other thing though, man." Nate stepped out of the way as Chuck opened the limo door to wave goodbye to his daughters waiting inside for their suddenly talkative godfather.

"I'm sure it can wait, Nathaniel. You have two very impatient young ladies waiting and I've got a stack of paperwork calling my name." He confided. "Blair could be with Jenny and Serena chatting it up for a few more hours at least."

"But, wait."

"Get in the car, Nathaniel." Chuck took a step back, prepared to head back inside.

"Seriously, man. There's something I need to talk to you about."

Turning on his heel, Chuck called over his shoulder. "It can wait. Kick back and relax for a few hours. You look like you need it. Really, Nathaniel."

"Thanks a lot."

He could almost see the blonde roll his eyes. Chuck smiled, watching the reflection in the glass as he started to walk away. He saw the moment, Nate shut the limo door without slipping inside.

"Chuck, man. Wait up."

Hiding his satisfaction. He did just that, turning to face the other man when he was but a few feet away. Chuck kept his expression clear of everything except mild curiosity.

Nate shuffled his feet, as Chuck had seen him do numerous times in the past twenty years.

Oh, Blair was definitely up to something and good Old Nathaniel was about to give him all of the details.

"I slept with her."

The words came to him. He rolled them around his head. Around his tongue, but for a moment Chuck couldn't make sense of them. Definitely not the revelation he'd been expecting. "Okay," Chuck blinked, once and then twice before insight came to him. _Her. _"The ex-masseuse. That's great man."

"What? No, Vanessa. I'm sleeping with my wife."

Chuck frowned. Hmm. Now that one he hadn't seen coming. At least not yet anyway. He'd expected Natie to avoid and wallow for a bit longer before he permanently cut Punky loose…or before he forgave her and patched things up with her. "So you and Vanessa are a thing again…er back together, again."

"Um, actually we're not." Nate shook his head. "Definitely not."

Smirking, Chuck felt that earlier rush of pride come flooding back as he went on to tell his best friend, sans too many details, about his late night "booty calls" to his former address. "Didn't think you had it in you. Trying to get her out of your system, huh? Good plan."

"That's not what this is."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"So you're taking her back."

"No." Nate insisted again. "It's not like that either. We're not getting back together. And I still don't know what this thing is that's happening now but it's not just trying to get her out of my system. Hell, you know that never works. You remember how well that worked for you tried it with B…sexual drano?"

"Serena's words not mine." Chuck reminded.

"Whatever. It didn't work, did it?"

He cleared his throat, "I didn't actually get to test that theory for a few months if you recall." Not until the night of the Snowflake Ball, anyway. Just that one last time in the back of the limo. And damn right it hadn't been enough. Not even close. If Bart hadn't died,…

"That's what I thought." Nate took his friend's thoughtful silence for the answer that it was. "You should head upstairs. She's waiting for you."

Mouth quirked in knowing smile, Chuck wondered, "Oh, yeah?"

His best friend nodded, "I've got the girls. You guys enjoy your night and before you ask me anything…I know nothing."

They probably had figured he'd break.

"Serena thought I'd talk if I knew too many details."

Chuck nodded. He watched the other man start towards the limo. "Nathaniel."

The blonde man turned, hand gripping the door hand. He tipped his head and raised his brows in askance.

"Whatever you're doing. Be careful." Chuck stood there, even after his best friend was in the car. Even after the limo had pulled off, night fallen and Manhattan alive with activity and voice. He still had no clue what Blair Waldorf was up to. Not a single one.

He thought about that moment in the elevator and wished like hell that he'd pressed the button and that it was them and the girls heading off into the night. Chuck had said, "later." It would be them soon. For now, he was working on his surprise for Blair and apparently, his girl had a few tricks up her own sleeve.

Damn, he'd missed her. Which begged the question as to just what in the hell he was still doing down there when…she was up there "waiting" for him. He was sure that they'd both had more than their fill of that sentiment. Then and now. His stride sure and purposeful, Chuck walked back into the hospital.

The nurses were all back, when he arrived on Blair's floor. Most were business as usual, while one or two were definitely smiling more than usual. They were either, tapping into the hospital's supply of meds or they knew exactly what was going on. While Chuck didn't completely rule out the former, he felt the anticipation pulling at the pit of his stomach and dancing upward.

Not a break in his stride, Chuck walked until he found himself outside of Blair's hospital room. Normally, he'd be able to peek through the skinny glass panel to get a look at his girl and reassure himself that she was still awake and that all was well.

The fact that he couldn't see her now, ratcheted his curiosity to the nth degree. Nothing covered the glass but something with Japanese characters stood just inside. A screen of some sort. His hand was already on the knob when a sudden attack of nerves made their presence known. What the hell was going on with him? After all they'd been through; she could still do it to him. Make his heart race and sent that flutter and twist in his belly.

"Get on with it, Bass." He muttered. Twisting the knob, Chuck knocked lightly. He didn't push the door open. Not until her voice beckoned him inside. His open personal siren, always driving him to the brink of certain pleasure or certain disaster.

She'd done this. It was still there after all these years. He sighed, slowly pushing the door open. Chuck didn't swing it wide, for fear of knocking into the screen. His nose twitched, picking up the heady scent of roses and a hint of garlic in the air. Interesting combination to say the least. Shutting the door behind himself, he edged around the screen.

On the tip of his tongue, teasing words danced and beckoned for release but he swallowed them whole. Yes, words and his fucking tongue at least, when he caught sight of the woman waiting on the other side.

She smiled, slow and easy, a Siren indeed. Certain of her power over mortal men. Or rather the one man before her. "What took you so long, Bass?"

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** It was another long one but couldn't stop myself as usual. Sorry have no self-restraint when it comes to CB. I was inspired with the baby stuff...my cousin had just had a new baby and we went shopping and all the while I had visions of CB & and the twins dancing in my head, my fingers itching for my laptop so that I could get it written. I'd already been thinking about B seeing their baby books and getting flashbacks that way but why not take advantage of a certain character's ever present need for documentaries. Hope you enjoyed C's first time holding and feeing his little girl and B getting to witness it in some form or another. Eleanor. So much to answer for. Chambers' attraction to his patient and poor Jenny at a crossroads. Alot more of other stuff here when I was intent on writing CB alone and then VdB. Couldn't help myself again. But the next chapter is just about ready to go and I think that my fellow Chair lovers are likely to enjoy as Chuck gets the full benefit of his "surprise" thanks to Blair and Co. Should have it posted in the next day or so. As always let me know what you're thinking. Keep your heads bbs *hug* CB FTW

Courtneyஐ


	22. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Another update for you guys and this ones a little different. Some down time for our favorite couple…away from the angst and multitude of worries. Thank you as always for the wonderful thoughts on the last C/B filled chapter. Glad you guys are still in this with me. If you can't tell while reading I had a friggin ball writing this chapter and hope you have just as much reading. Anyway, I'll leave you to it. Love always for Wifey and the girls.

This is dedicated to you Twinnie (ilmcr24) Happy Birthday again, hon.

* * *

**Chapter 21**ஐ

"Aren't you going to say anything?" She whispered.

Yes. Yes he would. The very moment that he remembered how to form actual words, he'd tell her anything that she damn well wanted to hear. Chuck barely took in the hint of classical music, wisping softly about the room. Or the fact that Blair had overcome her fears of the darkness, shutting off most of the lights in favor of the soft, blazing glow that blanketed the room.

There were dozens upon dozens of tealights, flickering and alive as they covered almost every surface in the room. More screens were situated around the room, obscuring the silent monitors that had been so critical, only days before, in tracking Blair's vitals. Someone had moved a small table into the room, laying out the perfect setting for a romantic dinner for two, complete with linen table cloth and matching silverware.

Layer upon layers. Chuck drank it all in, but he couldn't savor. No, not with the woman who was currently in the act of stealing away all of his senses. He'd thought her beautiful before but the soft light of the candles seemed to make her glow. Inside out. Sensual and innocent. That wonderful mix that'd tugged at him, stirring up forbidden wants even way back when she'd been his best friend's girl. Back before he could admit to even himself just how much he'd wanted her. Still wanted her. Only more. That want was something richer, more potent from all that they'd experienced. From the emptiness he'd felt over the past five years without be able to just talk to her. Have her mouth curve into that little smile. Just for him.

Half-choking on a gasping breath, Chuck reached for control, but it was a futile thing. He couldn't think, take his eyes off of her.

Her beautiful brown hair, hung down, loose about her shoulders and she was definitely not wearing one of the hospital gowns that she proclaimed unfit for homeless beggars. She no longer wore those jeans that'd clung to every singular curve, commanding his _immediate _attention. This time she'd slipped on a strappy, slip dress that flowed across pale flesh like water.

Waiting for his answer, she pouted, demanded his attention focus solely on that shining, painted mouth that begged for his kiss.

Uncertainty struck and those lips parted, trembling. Her eyes fell away from his face as she second guessed herself, making Chuck feel all kinds of asses. He started to speak, but it proved unnecessary as those eyes found him and he saw the exact moment when she realized just how _deeply _her effect on him ran. Smirking, those laughing brown eyes crept up ever so slowly. "I see."

"Amazing as ever, Waldorf." He finally murmured, enjoying the vivaciousness in her renewed confidence. She looked powerful. Ready to take on the world, starting with him.

Blair gripped the edge of the bed and started to move forward, making Chuck panic as her hand hovered a tad too close for comfort to those damn tealights.

"Blair, look out." Chuck warned, his heart in his throat and feet already moving faster than his train of thoughts.

"What's wrong?" She frowned, confused as he pulled her close. Realizing the cause of his sudden alarm, she couldn't help laughing. "Chuck, they're not real."

"What?"

Blair leaned away from him and rolled her eyes as he resisted, looping an arm around her waist. She reached out and lifted up the tealight to give him a closer look, "Flameless. Did you really think Nurse Hatchet and company wouldn't have put the kibosh on this whole thing if these were real?"

The tealight slapped lightly into his open palm. He glanced around the room again. It was the same but different from the one that he'd left an hour ago. Transformed with the romantic light. The antiseptic smell dimmed by the heavy scent of roses in the air. Roses that were still nowhere in sight.

He started to ask her about them, but decided not to press his luck. They didn't exactly have the best of track records when it came to the whole flowers and candy deal. Instead, Chuck let the candle slide from his palm and concentrated on the woman in his arms. "I can't believe you did all this."

"Well, I thought that maybe we could use a change of scenery and seeing as how I'm still stuck here." Blair shrugged, glancing from his face and around the cozy scene. Not quite what she'd envisioned, but wonderful nonetheless. His arms around her and dinner waiting on the table, she could close her eyes and pretend.

How easy would it be to picture themselves at home…except Blair had never laid eyes on his new place. She found herself conjuring a mix of the Van der Bass and Waldorf apartments, with them downstairs, their arms wrapped tightly about one another as they just danced, the children asleep upstairs in their bedrooms. Just them. Chuck and Blair. Blair and Chuck. Unwinding from the day, smiling together and letting horrors of the day wash away from them.

"Dorota?"

Her lashes fluttered as his query broke into her fantasy. "Dorota." She motioned to the room at large.

"Of course," He looked around again, "You know it's a good thing that you're moving in, because I don't think that I'd be giving her back."

"And just what makes you believe that you had any say in the matter?"

"The fact that Dorota happens to love me."

"She does not. She still thinks you're a spoiled ass." Blair informed him. "As recently as a few days ago."

"Dorota adores me."

"Perhaps," She agreed, her tone grudging before adding quickly, "when you're not being an ass."

"Oh, some credit."

His brown-eyed girl peered up at him, her arms loose about his neck. "Fine, I'll admit. You've shaped up quite nicely in your old age."

"Old age? Let's not forget that you're the cradle-robber here, Waldorf." He hissed, pulling her close. "And speaking of _shaping _up…"

His meaning didn't sink in immediately. She was too busy, occupied by other matters driving her to distraction. The flutter of his warm breath against her cheek. She could feel his heart beating against hers, they were so close, her softness pressing into the firm wall of his chest.

Chuck pulled back, watching her. A lazy, knowing smile tilting that mouth.

She rolled her eyes. The Basstard knew exactly what she was feeling. Then suddenly she knew or rather felt her effect on him. "Chuck," Beneath her horrified gasp lay the sound of pure feminine delight, distinct and shooting through him like pure adrenaline.

"Be careful, Waldorf," he warned. "Better not start anything that we can't finish…not unless you want to put on a floor show for the staff."

"You wish."

"And you know me well. Want to chance it? Could prove interesting." Chuck tempted, teasing her.

"And on that note, our food is getting cold and I'm starving."

"Me to," he murmured, his eyes drifting down to her mouth.

Okay, Waldorf, time to rein him in, Blair ordered her rebellious libido. Dorota. Now would be a good time for Chuck's ideal chaperone/bodyguard to put in an appearance. For once, he mused, no one came barging in and his phone remained silent. It was just them.

"Dinner, Chuck," she managed to get out. Her hands flattened against his chest and she gently pushed him away, fingers curling against the urge to sink in and pull him back.

"Fine. Wouldn't want to be accused of neglecting your needs."

Refusing to get anywhere near that one, Blair wordlessly dropped into the chair that he held out for her.

She shivered when he didn't move away immediately and take the seat across from her. Instead, his hands settled on her bare shoulders, fingertips skimming a slow path, igniting like liquid fire in her blood. Her lips parted of their own volition, a faint protest on the tip of her tongue. "Chuck…"

"Ssh,"

Blair would've sputtered or feigned indignation, if those fingers weren't searing a trail, the pad of his thumb massaging the quickening thrum of her pulse. Her nerveless hands were at her sides, as their eyes met. His expression was deadlier serious as his questing fingers ended their journey, his hand curving the against her jaw. Desire. She read it in his eyes easily enough, flaming and threatening to consume her.

The bathroom. They could duck into the bathroom and no one would know. Or fuck it. They were out of there. The twins were with Nate and Dorota was out on a date with her butler boyfriend. They'd have the apartment to themselves. Just for the night and they could sneak back to the hospital before anyone was the wiser. "Chuck…" She repeated his name, breathless.

He leaned down, catching her mouth in a soft kiss.

Automatically, her hands crept up, ready to sink into the silken threads of his dark hair, but he was already pulling away before they made it home.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"For?"

"For this…tonight." Chuck settled into the seat across from her, the small span of the table between them a blessing and a nuisance. "Come on, Waldorf. Eat up and if you're good, maybe I'll have Arthur pick up dessert."

"Good, because I have this sudden craving for something cold and sweet." Blair motioned vaguely. "Rich, bittersweet…"

Brown eyes swept her face and body, before rising to meet hers. "Hmm, now that you mention it. I've got a taste for the same myself."

They both leaned in, fingers meeting and brushing lightly across the table and their faces cast in dancing shadows and light. She smiled sweetly, "Could you ask Arthur to make sure it's not all melted and disgusting this time?"

With that she sank back against the chair and swept the silver covers up.

"She certainly outdid herself on such short notice, but then again it's Dorota." Blair made a soft sound in protest when he brushed her hand away, "Hey, what do you think you…"

"Oh, simmer down, Waldorf. I'm playing the gentleman, in case you hadn't noticed."

She smiled, watching him. Enjoying the idea of him doing something as simple as serving her, taking care of her. It inspired the same feeling as having him hold her late at night. Well, she reasoned, almost all of the same feelings. Despite how much she hated being stuck in the hospital, those hours in the night when they'd just talk or lay there, those hours were pure heaven.

How would they change, once they left this place? She knew that he wouldn't be able to stay with her indefinitely. Everything was slow with the holidays, but New Year's Eve was the day after tomorrow. Then next week, it would be back to life and business as usual for the Bass family.

Chuck would need to go back to work, even more. The twins would be in school. Serena had her work at the magazine. Eleanor was back in London even now preparing for her move back to the States, but her mother still had every intention of running her design house as efficiently as possible, Atlantic ocean, notwithstanding.

Her thoughts drifted, suffocating as she wondered at her place in it all. She'd do the rehab thing but then what was she supposed to do. Her mother had accused her of trying to pick up where she'd left off but how could that be even the remotest of possibilities.

Yale was gone. At one point, that would've sent her straight over the edge. She'd clung to her dream of attending even when she'd been hugely pregnant, making plans to have it all. She waited for the devastation to hit, but it never did. Blair only felt calm acceptance. Losing Yale meant little in the face of all else she'd missed out on.

"Hey, eat up, Waldorf."

Blair blinked rapidly, focusing on the man across from her. The man who was digging into the plateful of spaghetti with gusto. "Hungry?"

"Utterly famished."

She savored the taste of real food on her tongue for the first time in days. The fries she'd stolen from Eric the day before didn't really count. They'd still come from the hospital cafeteria and were therefore to be considered "hospital fare." Wine. Wine would've made a good companion but instead Dorota had put her foot down, leaving them plastic cups and grape juice. "What about your business lunch?"

"Emphasis on business, Waldorf."

"From your attitude I take it that things went as you'd hoped."

"Better."

Something dark and unreadable clouded his expression. She frowned, "Everything okay?"

"What? Yeah." He nodded, not meeting her eyes. Chuck's gaze landed on everything in the room except her face. His expression appeared less troubled and more puzzled. "Where are the flowers?"

His meaning struck almost immediately, "Oh, right. I had Dorota take them away. It made the entire room reek…too reminiscent of a funeral parlor." She told him, suddenly very engrossed in the breadstick that she was systematically ripping into teeny pieces.

Chuck couldn't help himself or the smirk that erupted. Coma might have done a lot of things but it did nothing for the memory of their track record with something as simple as flowers. Maybe not so simple a gesture after all. "Of course."

They settled into easy conversation. Laughing together as Blair revealed their daughters' excitement over playing a trick on Daddy. He pretended great upset to have not one but all three of his girls joining forces to plot against him.

So that was the way it was going to be from now on. Blair and the twins putting their heads together to pull the wool over his eyes. It felt good. It brought an entire new reality to having her back. Having his family finally whole.

Careful not to mention his brief stopover at the private hospital, he gave her the highlights of his earlier business meeting. He wondered at her reaction when she found out about the surprise he had brewing for her. Just a few more days and all would be ready.

"You weren't kidding. I thought you'd eaten with the girls earlier." Blair shook her head, marveling at the heaping plate of spaghetti that was down to sauce and but a few curling strands of pasta streaking across the plate. "Wait, you got a little something…" She reached across the span of white cloth and brushed her thumb at the corner of his mouth, but he stopped her before she could pull back. He held her captured hands loosely before him.

"Hmm." The sound vibrated in his throat.

Air caught and held as she forgot to breathe and the tip of his tongue darted out and laved, swirling slowly. He suckled gently, lapping at the red sauce and their eyes holding and burning into one another. Blair was sure that she wouldn't have been able to look away even had it been her sole desire in the world. Disappointment flared when he released her, spreading in her blood and doing nothing to temper her body's desire for more. She wanted him to kiss her. Just like this. As if he was savoring every part of her.

"Delicious"

"If you weren't satisfied with your meal alone, you should've just said something. I would've been happy enough to share." She offered shakily, trying to steady herself. She pushed her own half-eaten dish between them.

He started to shake his head, but she captured the pasta on silver tines and held it to the flat line of his set, unsmiling mouth. "I'm not taking your food."

"Well, I can't eat it all on my own." Blair waited patiently for him to take the offering.

She was struck the sudden memory of herself, only years older if that than the twins. A time when she'd spend summer afternoons with Dorota. After a day at the park, they'd wait for either of the Waldorf parents to return, indulging in forbidden sweets and watching their favorite movie of the time, _Lady & the Tramp. _Looking back, Blair remembered that it was always her maid who'd pick that movie to watch. Sighing and her soft eyes going misty during the scene when the two canines shared their romantic alleyside meal of…spaghetti. The lovestruck twosome lingering over a single strand of spaghetti.

Even before she'd understood the romance of it all, Blair had loved it. Maybe partly because of how much her maid seemed to enjoy the scene. It was simple and child's play, setting her up for eventually falling in love with the very idea of love, long before she could understand the truth and complexities when it was the real thing.

Blair shook her head. Wondering if this was another of their old rituals that the old maid had resurrected for the twins. And had it been a subconscious thing or had that remembered scene played out in Dorota's mind when she'd chosen this particular meal and setting for Blair's last minute surprise dinner "date."

Between the two of them, they made quick work of finishing Blair's dinner. Having decided that it might be best if they stuck to strictly innocent topics, she steered the lingering strands of conversation continuously back to Bass Industries and the girls. Well, mostly the girls. With anything else, Chuck seemed to have a talent for taking something innocuous and twisting and bending it into something new and sensual. Sure he played the innocent but the fire in his eyes, said that the Basstard was doing his level best to drive her crazy.

Earlier with Serena, she'd pictured them enjoying a romantic dinner, but this was too much. Wrong time and wrong place, she reminded herself.

Innocent. Sweet. Not sex. She searched her mind. She'd wanted to dance with him but thought it best that they keep the length of the table in between them for a while longer. At least until she—er they had their baser instincts back under control. Blair thought of the DVD. She'd wanted nothing more than to watch it with him, but after his earlier reaction, Blair was afraid to bring it up.

She wanted to ramp down the sexual energy, not completely kill the night's magic and ease.

Still she was completely unprepared for her own words as she suggested they switch on the Knicks' game. Though at first surprised, Chuck, smug bastard was just as savvy and aware of what she was up to.

The game was already into its second quarter and time flew and yet stood still. Over the next few hour, Blair had fun peppering him with questions and he did a good job of not getting annoyed, no really annoyed, anyway.

"So he's the goalie, right?"

Eyes rolling skyward, Chuck swallowed a groan. "B, that's not what it's called."

"But didn't he lose a point for tending his goal."

"That's not how the game works. And it's goal-tending."

"Same difference."

"Not quite." Chuck explained. _Again. _"Wrong game, Blair. For the last time. There are no goalies. No flags on the play or two-point conversions. It's a period, not quarter."

"What about the penalty box…" She cleared her throat, hiding a laugh. "That guy clearly elbowed the other one in blue."

She could tell that she was wearing on him. He'd been indulgent with her most outrageous comments, taking them in stride. Chuck closed his eyes, "They're on the same team and you're mixing sports. Maybe we should watch something else."

"No!" Blair shook her head, "I mean. Come on, Bass. I'm having fun."

He turned on her, none of the irritation that she'd been expecting at this point. "So am I."

"You knew what I was doing?"

"Well, not at first, no." Chuck admitted, "But then I seemed to recall the fact that you dated a sport crazed best friend of mine for quite a few years. Besides that, you and Serena made us guys watch that Geena Davis flick more than enough times to pick up the broadstrokes. Like the fact that umpires are baseball…not basketball."

Blair laughed out loud, remembering those times. Nate and Serena both seemed to like the idea of the movie, Serena for the history and her first boyfriend had been all about sports even at that that time. Young Chuck had been entranced with all of the women in their ancient baseball outfits, especially dark-haired Madonna. He'd stated even then his preference for brunettes over blondes.

"Let's not forget the fact that I'm as much of a Daddy's girl as your daughters. Except my father was more into college football."

"Ah, yes, Harold. Of course."

Blair looked back at the TV, her eyes focused not on the sweating men that raced back and forth across the screen. Instead, her gaze filtered throughout the crowd as the fast play took them up and down the court. "Chuck, have you spotted the girls, yet? I haven't been able to." She had a sudden thought, "oh, they're in a box, aren't they?"

"No, B. Nate doesn't have them in a penalty box," he deadpanned.

Swatting at him from across the table, she huffed out her impatience, "I'm being serious now. Don't you have boxseats?

"Yes, but my father liked to be out in the crowd." For the first time that night, he pulled out his phone, drawing an instant protest from Blair.

"Hey!! Rule# 4, Bass…"

"This one's an exception." He switched on the speakerphone and soon there was an echo of noise filtering through the room that doubled the action from the television.

"Chuck? Is that you?" Nate shouted over the roaring crowd.

"Yea."

"What are you sneaking in a call while Blair's in the bathroom? Man, you are missing an amazing game."

"Actually, _Nathaniel. _We haven't missed a thing." She snagged the cell phone from Chuck's hand. "Number 14 has certainly had a good night. We were just wondering how you and the twins were enjoying the game."

"They're having fun. Stuffing their faces." Nate laughed, but quickly amended. "Don't worry I'm about to cut them off. I'm not getting yelled at by Dorota again for letting them eat themselves sick."

"They should be fine, Nathaniel. Just no more hotdogs…I'm sure they've had enough to last the decade. Or next month. Whichever comes first." Chuck joked, stopping short as he felt Blair's eyes on him. "Look, I'd better let you get back to the game. B just wanted to check in with Evie and Kat."

"Hey, did you w…"

Nate's words were lost as Chuck murmured a quick goodbye. He held up his hand when Blair would've spoken, asking why he'd hung up so quickly.

"Blair, I know what you're going to say…it's been nearly a decade but I remember the entire lecture word for word. I can assure you that they haven't been doused in toilet water or bought wholesale from some hobo on the street."

She was quiet, visibly digesting his words.

"Well," He said after the silence stretched and her expression grew more and more incredulous. "Would you say something?"

"Fine." Blair nodded, expression deadly serious. "What the hell are you talking about? Toilet water and hobos?"

He looked at her in surprise, "Wait. My ears rang for a good hour and a half after your little tirade, Waldorf. For godsakes, I couldn't see a vendor on any street corner without remembering that day. And you don't remember?"

"I wasn't that bad."

"You were terrifying." Chuck told her, "The vendor looked ready to cut and run."

"I remember exactly what you're talking about." She made a face. "The man was absolutely filthy and the cart didn't look much better. You should be glad that I went with Nate to grab a soda or you idiots would've probably have dropped dead from food poisoning or something." Blair huffed, impatient as she still wondered at his point. "Aw, did I scar you for life or something?"

"And you sound so very pleased about that prospect."

"Don't begrudge me my entertainment, Bass."

"Wouldn't dare it." His cell phone buzzed.

"Rules still apply."

"Of course. It's not for me, though."

She frowned as he held the phone out to her. A photo text message of the girls in mid-whoop and cheer. "Aw, remind me to kiss Nate the next I see him."

Chuck snorted, "You'll have to beat me to it, Waldorf. Listen. I just want to say that I've tried to do everything that I thought you'd want when it came to raising the girls…from having Dorota make them hotdogs from scratch to never missing a single soccer practice or tap recital."

"You're a good Daddy Chuck. I know that," She reached out and covered fisted hand with one of hers. "I guess I should tell you though…that I never thought to have Dorota make them for me. Quick thinking on your part."

"What do you mean for you? If I recall correctly, you mentioned something about hell freezing over and pain of death all those years ago." Chuck teased.

"Well, I'm sorry but your daughters changed the rules on me…so in a sense hell did ice over but maybe only temporarily. They're called cravings. Thank god it was nothing too extreme."

"And I missed it. Damn. Blair Waldorf mixing it up with toilet water and hobos."

"For the record, Bass, I did not go to one of those disgusting carts." She insisted, adding quickly, "Jenny brought them to me from Gray's Papaya."

"The Westside. For shame. And here I thought I knew you."

"Don't make me hit you."

No sooner than the words left her mouth that Chuck was dodging bits of broken breadstick that were being lobbed at his head.

"I'm not talking to you anymore, Bass. Besides you're making me miss the quarter." She smiled as he started to correct her, only to stop himself. "Are you having fun yet?"

"You have no idea."

Despite her better intentions, the twosome ended up curled together in her hospital bed as each other night before. Well-fed and comfortable, they were both too engrossed in the back and forth of the basketball game to revisit the sex-starved fog that had ruled them both, earlier in the night. Fingers threaded through his, they smiled together over the numerous texts and pictures that began trickling through his cell phone not long after that first.

Her entire body languid and happy, Blair didn't realize that she was falling asleep until she was half-way there. She fought to shake off the leaden weight that seemed to be tugging at her curling lashes.

"Go to sleep, Blair." Chuck said, brushing his mouth against her temple. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Wanted to dance with you." She said drowsily, resting her head against his shoulder and her palm lying flat against his chest. "S smuggled the stereo in and everything."

"Another night."

Her eyes drifted shut, but she was still resistant to letting go and allowing the darkness to pull her away from him. She didn't want to rest. There was so much more to be done. Like dancing with Chuck. Watching the rest of the game with him. Feeling normal for once. "Another night?"

"Yeah. Promise," he told her, "Besides, you've had more than enough excitement for one evening, I think."

Blair found herself still talking, words rasping up her throat, heavier than before and lingering with sleep. Her face perked, showing excitement despite her closed lids as she exclaimed, "Hey…do you know. This could be our first official date."

He lay there, listening to the even sound of her breathing. Holding on to her until her body relaxed and melting against him. Their first date? After everything…that was what this was? It boggled the senses.

He smiled realizing that it was nothing that he would've expected. Nothing he would've thought to plan. Then again when was that ever the case for them. She'd wanted to dance. The only missing piece to the romance of the moment that she'd crafted for them.

Chuck supposed that he'd have to see about remedying that as soon as possible.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

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**A/N:** And there you have it. CB's first almost not quite date. Hope you like it. And gotta give a special thanks to my good friend Brennan who let me pepper him with the most idiotic of sports questions…I know some stuff ;) but not all and wanted confirmation. Sorry if the transitions weren't as smooth from one moment to the next but didn't want to divert from all things CB with other characters and drama in this chapter just to get from one beat to the next. Thought we could all do with some downtime right along with our couple. Hope you guys enjoyed this one and as always let me know what you're thinking. Love you all and will update asap. *kiss*

Courtneyஐ


	23. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Wow, guys seriously busiest week on the planet. Like everything I needed to do was suddenly due at the same time and then overtime. Who needs sleep anyway…but hey I just figured out a nifty new feature on my IPod, I can write now when I'm supposed to be working *snoopydance* Okay, okay. Onward with the good stuff. Glad you guys all got a kick out of CB's little date night in the previous chapter. It was seriously fun to write, as was this next one that you're about to read. Oh, I did this without my beta and I ran through it a few more times myself so bear with my for my possibly many grammatic infractions. The story's what count's though, right. I'll leave you to it. Love always for Wifey and the girls.

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**Chapter 22**ஐ

Rather than the hovering gloom and threat of snow that'd been poised over the Northeast for days, dawn arrived with a gentle sweep of brilliant light.

Unmoving, he'd lain watching as the first fingers of light stretched inside, through half close blinds and crept further and further into room.

The alarm would probably go off in a few more minutes, but they were both awake. He could tell. She kept holding her breath and every now and again, body would tense up. As if she were waiting, bracing herself for what was to come next. Over the past few days, he'd been setting the pace for whatever this was. Whatever they were now. The one and only time she'd attempted to take the initiative and invite him to dinner, he'd shot her down.

Time to get the hell out of here, he tried rousing himself from the bed. It was past time, but he couldn't seem to make himself get up to leave. He didn't have to be in to the station until late that afternoon. Months before he'd have spent the morning lazying in bed. Sort of like now, except they would've been making love. No. That was past. Now they just laid there, waiting for the other person to speak.

Chuck's words outside the hospital came back to him. Telling him to be careful, but wasn't it already too late for that. After dropped the twins at their grandmother's apartment, he'd considered heading straight for the Palace but instead he'd ended up here.

And Vanessa damn her. She'd known that he'd come. She'd gone ahead and made the dinner that he'd warned her not to bother with. A dinner that Nate still hadn't touched. His negligent and hunger sent his belly roiling in protest, breaking into the unnatural silence. Lifting whatever strange lethargy that had held them both paralyzed.

"Guess someone's hungry after all." Vanessa cleared her throat. Turning slowly until they were facing one another. "I could whip up something for breakfast, while you shower."

There it was again. The olive branch extended with that nervous smile. Not actual peace and forgiveness but a place to start. He should just leave. That would be better for them both. "I don't have any clean clothes here, remember?" He told her, rather than goodbye caught in his throat.

She wrapped herself in a sheet and made a beeline for the armoire. Only once she'd yanked open _his _drawer, did she see that it wasn't quite as empty as he'd left it when he'd packed his bags, "You didn't take everything. I found these when I was doing the wash the other night."

"Thanks." Nate padded over to her, lifting out a clean t-shirt and sweats. "You use the main bath. I'll use the one downstairs."

He started from the room, wondering at wisdom of change of heart.

"Wait." She called out. "So are you staying? For breakfast I mean?"

Nate gave a careless shrug as if it didn't matter either way. "Yea, I guess so."

He left the room before she could start asking the really hard questions. The ones running through Nate's brain now. First their nights. Now breakfast. There wasn't much room for conversation when he came to her during the late hours.

Hell, the conversation they'd just had was about as much as he'd said to her in days. Face-to-face, at least.

Breakfast was certain to be an experience. Either they were going to both just sit there looking like idiots or she was going to ask him that question again. She was going to bring up her affair and wonder if he was ready to forgive and forget.

Nate still didn't have an answer for that one.

~ஐ~

"Chuck." Blair breathed his name, in the midst of a very _very _happy dream that picked up things right where they'd left off before dinner. Except they weren't back in her hospital room, they were in his old room at the Van der Bass apartment. He smiled down at her, his hands in her hair and bare toes, tickling the soles of her feet. "Quit it," she smiled, taking the sting from her half-hearted protest as her fingers gripped fistfuls of the sheets and he trailed kisses along her neck, his teeth nipping at her ear

Her eyes squeezed tightly shut, she murmured his name again.

Something tickled her foot again and then moved upward, skimming along. She smiled as the same delicate something brushed against her cheeks, stopping to tickle her nose and tease her sense with a delicate perfume.

"Rise and shine, Waldorf."

Why was he talking? He was supposed to be kissing her dammit or better yet, making love to her, but instead he teased her. Same ol' Basshole.

"Stop talking, Bass." She ordered, her eyes fluttering open. Blair saw him standing over her. It took a moment for the truth of her surroundings to sink into her sleep and lust muddled brain. Most definitely not his old bedroom. She squinted looking around, as a matter of fact, it didn't even feel like the same cozy haven that she'd fallen asleep in.

The remnants of their "date" had been cleared away with only one of the screens remaining near the door, barring a clear view of her in bed to anyone who might glance through the glass panel. The table was gone, as were the dozens upon dozens of tealights that had brightened the room during the night.

"Morning" Chuck whispered, "Sweet dreams?"

There was something knowing in his expression. Despite the fact that he'd seen her naked flesh multiple times and that she'd borne him children, Blair felt her face run hot at the thought that he might have heard her. That she might've moaned or called out to him in her sleep with him standing _right _there was still enough to make her want to toss the sheets over her head. Or pull him in with her.

"What time is it?" She sat up instead. "Nevermind that. What are you hiding behind your back?"

"Well, I'd tell you to close your eyes again, but I'd better keep you focused on the here and now." Chuck murmured, studying every nuance of her expression. The laughter and curiosity in those eyes. "Then again, if you'll tell me just what put that smile on your face a few moments ago…"

"The part of the tease was never for you. Now, what is it?" She pulled him down beside her, reaching around him to get to whatever he was hiding there. Only he thwarted her every effort, "_Chuck!!_"

Smiling, he leaned forward to steal a quick kiss from her pouting mouth. "Close your eyes."

"Not a chance."

"Okay." He started to get up

Blair gave in, "Fine. But this had better be good."

"Are they closed?"

She glared at him through lids squeezed tightly shut, the flat line of her mouth leaving no room for confusion over her displeasure. "Beyond good."

"It will be. Now promise not to open them until I say so." He waited for a moment, wondering if her displeasure was on the verge of all out mutiny. "B?"

"Promise." Blair hissed through gritted teeth, "Now get on with it."

He smirked, his eyes watching her closely, "Hold out your hands."

Slowly she did as he asked. Her eyelids twitched but never slitting to cheat and steal a quick peek. Excited and frustrated, Blair was cursing him in her head when he laid something across her open palms. The soft flesh of the petals tickled her palms and she realized that she hadn't been dreaming entirely. Her fingers closed around the hard stem and she started to open her eyes, but he reached out and covered them with one hand. Her lashes fluttering against the smooth flesh of his palm.

"Not yet."

His fingers didn't leave her face immediately. Instead his fingers trailed her cheeks. A soft sigh escaping her lips as he brushed his thumb across, making her smile for him again. She wanted to protest when his fingers fell away.

Her wait wasn't long when she heard, felt him moving. She jumped, her eyes almost flying open when something cold brushed her mouth.

"What is th…"

"Open." Chuck told her.

Her mouth and eyes opened at once. She would've spoken if not for the cold, sweetness that melted on her tongue. Her eyes widened. Ice cream. He'd brought her ice cream.

Chuck's mouth quirked as he fed her another spoonful. "Good?"

"About time."

"Not the appreciation I was expecting. Think I'll take myself and this ice cream and be on my way."

"Try it and lose a limb." She moaned, savoring her treat. If Chuck thought he'd make it even one step, then he'd obviously forgotten a thing or two in her absence.

"Good?"

"Heavenly."

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Do me a favor, though. Don't mention this to your daughters." He warned, "Not unless you want to start a lecture for which there is no end from those tyrants."

"My children are not tyrants, Bass."

"Oh, they're most especially your daughters when they're feeling indignant or slighted." Chuck told her.

"Ha!" Blair scoffed, "Like they've ever needed to be. Evie and Kat have you wrapped around their little fingers and you know it."

He leaned in close, a finger to his lips. "Ssh. It's a secret."

"Worst kept."

As had become their routine in those mornings, Chuck filled her in on the meetings he had lined up for the morning. "I can probably get back here after two, if I move a few things. You've got an appointment with the psychologist later, right?"

Blair frowned, "Yes. Why?" She tried to catch his eye but he seemed suddenly engrossed pilfering the rest of her ice cream for himself. "Hey. Mine, Bass. Get your own."

"Rather selfish especially when I went to so much trouble to get that for you."

"Did you call poor Arthur last night or this morning?" She smirked. Yes, so much trouble to send poor Arthur running at the crack of dawn, with but a phone call. She'd done the same with Dorota too many times to count so she thought better of acting calling him on it, opting for a change of subject instead. "So why were you asking about my session."

He shrugged, clearly not intent on giving her any answers.

"Were you thinking of joining us? It's really all terribly boring. She just sits there and I do all of the talking…which is usually fine except, she looks at you like she's trying to piece you together from the inside out. It's not the least bit relaxing or helpful." Blair revealed.

Remembering his conversation with Chambers the night before, Chuck couldn't help feeling pleased. The very fact that the good doctor was pushing for it, made him want to hate the sessions, which made him feel guilty and as unsupportive as the bastard had been implying he was for not being more involved with B's psychobabble hours.

"Seriously, I just talk about nothing and everything the whole time. Mostly the girls." And you, she added silently. "If you want…I'm sure she wouldn't mind having you sit in."

"Nah," he shook his head. "I think I'll leave that mental torture to you. I'd better get going. Oh, Eric's planning on stopping by and the girls will be by with Dorota after their playdate."

"I know what you're doing." She said softly, watching as he started across the room, already gone from her though he hadn't set foot from the room yet.

Obviously distracted, Chuck reached for his overcoat and briefcase. "Hmm, what'd you say?" He murmured, forcing his mind back from the million and one things already clamoring for his attention. The various back-to-back meetings that he had lined up for that entire morning. The fact that he still hadn't heard from Mike about Georgina. Getting last minute details lined up for Blair's surprise. He really should've left an hour ago, but after the incredible night she'd planned for them, Chuck had wanted to do something.

After numerous failed attempts at romancing the woman with flowers, he knew that he was taking his own life in his hands, waking her up with that single pink rose but he wanted no ill omens or bad luck charms looming in their future. Ghosts of the past had no place in their lives. That included the entire situation with the Franklins and the fires.

"I said that I know what you're up to, Chuck Bass." She repeated.

He tensed at her words, but schooled his features and stance even before glancing in her direction, "Oh, really? Care to enlighten me."

"Don't play innocent. It doesn't suit you, either."

"Touché."

"I don't need babysitters. So just call them all off and let everyone get back to their lives. I'm sure that Eric has much better things to do with his day than sit here and keep me company." Blair climbed from the bed, her leg steadier beneath her than the day before and even more so than the one before that. Still the trembled, her body still languid and relaxed from sleep.

"So, let me get this straight. You complaining…having a hard time believing that everyone missed you and just wants to spend time with you." Chuck walked over and held a hand to her forehead. "Hmm, no fever. What've you done with Blair Waldorf and who are you?"

"Stop being an ass and trying to distract me." She slapped lightly at his hand. "You don't have to worry about me."

Chuck's eyes raked her over with a searching look, "Why would you think I am?"

"I'm not stupid. Look. Go to work. Let everyone lead their lives…business as usual. I don't need to be coddled or babysat."

"That's what you think this is about?"

"Yes. I know it is. I'll be fine on my own. I've got the session with my shrink later and my workouts. I've walked so many circles around this ward that I get dizzy just thinking about it, but I know how to keep myself occupied."

"They want to spend time with you." He told her. "That's all."

"And you're lying." She accused, her eyes narrowing. Five years may have gone by but she could still tell when the Basshole was up to something. "Spill it."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I need to go or I'll be late for my meeting." Chuck started for the door, suddenly feeling very anxious to get out of there. He stopped short when she grabbed hold of his briefcase with both hands.

"It's your company," she reminded, her tone saccharine sweet. "I'm sure that they won't start without you."

"Blair, come on."

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

Now that hadn't been what he was expecting. The very last thing actually. "Of whom?"

"Oh, spare me. You get no end of pleasure tormenting my doctor whenever he comes in to…"

"Socialize." Chuck provided, the one word hissed in his displeasure. "He comes in to socialize with you when he should be checking on his other patients."

"Exhibit A." With a flourish, she motioned to him, "green-eyed monster."

He took in her self-satisfied grin and wanted to lock the world away just as they'd done the night before. Chuck played around with the idea of calling his secretary and having her clear his schedule, but knew immediately that he wouldn't…couldn't.

"No defense?" she queried.

"You are enjoying this entirely too much, Waldorf."

That didn't kill that smile even a little, "And that wasn't even close to an answer, _Bass_."

"It's all you're getting," he tugged gently until she let go of his briefcase. "I wish I didn't have to go."

"Then don't. You're in charge."

"Yes. I'm in charge and expected…" he frowned down at this watch, "at the office in another twenty minutes. Can't cancel now, but look. Tomorrow's New Years Eve…I've already made sure that nothing's scheduled. Not for tomorrow or the next few days, but I can't reschedule today's lineup…not again at any rate. Tomorrow, though it'll be you, me, the girls…"

"And every last one of my babysitters…oops friends."

"Be good. And don't overdo it." Chuck left her with a quick kiss before he could change his mind again. Or have it changed for him.

~ஐ~

"Late night?"

Nate barely had his foot inside the suite when the door across the hall swung inward. He cursed softly as he looked over his shoulder and saw the last person he was expecting or wanted to see at that point.

He felt that same fleeting panic as when they'd all been much younger and had been replacing the scotch in Bart's liquor cabinet. His own father never seemed to notice the pre-pubescent foursome's indulgence, but Chuck's old man had been a different story. Nate had never been able to understand why his best friend insisted on raiding the elder Bass' liquor cabinet. Not only did he have the Captain's at his disposal but Lily Van der Woodsen was usually in town only for birthdays and major holidays. Still Chuck insisted that there was a thrill in getting one over the great Bart Bass.

Nate had both hated and loved their missions to somehow replace what they'd taken. He'd always been so sure that at any moment Bart would suddenly swoop in, despite the fact that he was halfway across the world. Terrifying, but exciting. Wrong, but he couldn't have convinced his best friend to do anything else. Hell, he couldn't have convinced himself.

So, it was that same terrifying thrill that Nate felt shoot up his spine as he turned to face the woman studying him as if she didn't know what to make of him. He almost wished that it was Bart Bass and not the blonde watching him with growing impatience. He couldn't exactly tell her where he'd spent the night and who he'd spent it with.

Revealing his lapse to Chuck was one thing, since for the most part, his best friend's reaction had been nothing that he hadn't expected, but Serena. She could go either way. He couldn't exactly blurt of that he was "fucking" his wife or that he was indulging in never-ending breakup sex with the woman he still had every intention of divorcing. She wouldn't understand. No more than he did himself, at any rate.

"I could ask you the same," he motioned to the open door of Humphrey's hotel suite.

"I just stopped by before work. Breakfast with Dan." Serena stepped aside and motioned to the remnants of their morning fare spread out on the table.

Nate saw it well enough but he kept his expression doubtful. Instead his eyes slid over her, taking in all from head-to-toe. Not a blonde strand was out of place and she looked too well put together to have just indulged in a bout of quickie sex with an old boyfriend.

Motioning to his sweats, Nate started to lie outright and tell her that he'd left for an early run. Of course he'd taken that damn shower back at the brownstone so he barely looked as if he'd sprinted from the cab.

She didn't call him on it, "Dan told me about the late hours that you've been keeping."

"Of course, he did." Nate shook his head, didn't they have anything better to do than discussing his fucking nocturnal habits. He could just imagine the uproar if he admitted to spending the night at the brownstone. He couldn't help the next words that came out with more force than he intended. "If you and Humphrey can't find something better to talk about then I'd say that if you guys are trying to rekindle things, then you've got definite problems."

"I'm worried about you, Nate."

"There's nothing to worry over," he insisted, "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Oh, jeez. Not you, too." Nate turned on his heel and stormed into his own suite, not bothering to shut the door. Wouldn't do him much good, anyway.

She didn't disappoint, following in his wake.

"Shouldn't you be over there with Humphrey, enjoying your _breakfast_?"

"He's on the phone with his editor." Serena told him, "And I wanted to talk to you. Stop being a jerk and wait a minute. Yes, I came over to spend time with Dan, but I've been wanting to talk to you. You were supposed to be in there with us."

"A threesome. How romantic." He found himself mimicking the words of the cabbie they'd met in Jersey. "Sorry. Just not my thing."

"Nate, be serious." She was running short on patience.

That was fine by him. He'd rather have Serena annoyed rather than "aw"ing and clucking over him like Dorota with the twins.

"I know you weren't at the station this early. Dressed like that. I know you didn't spend the night here."

"Why is Humphrey so invested in where I spent the night? It's none of his business and none of yours."

"We've been friends forever. More than that at one time or another." Serena cleared her throat, glancing away from him. "Don't push me away. I can only guess what genius advice Chuck could've given you. Just listen to me when I say that sex with some anonymous woman won't make the hurt you're feeling go away."

"What about with someone I do know?" He asked, his expression deadly serious.

No way could Serena know that he was referring to his backsliding with Vanessa. Serena studied his intent expression and could find nothing to tell her that he might be joking. Or striking out, goading her with their past. She really hoped he wasn't suggesting that they hop into bed just so he could forget about Vanessa cheating on him. Wasn't exactly how she'd ever thought they'd end up rekindling things better left in the past? Not that she'd ever thought about it. Dammit. "Nate, can we not go there. I'd hate to ruin our friendship and your life is complicated enough without adding revenge sex into the mix."

Nate wished that was truly the case. Unfortunately, life had seemed anything but complicated over the past few nights. Regrets and second guessing his lapses only came with the morning.

Maybe he should just sleep with someone else. Let Vanessa feel the burn of it and see where things stood between them when it was all said and done. He hadn't exactly been a saint in the past. But that had been high school, before everything with the Captain. Nate had grown up from the boy he'd been, building a life for himself with Vanessa.

"Look, I need to leave for work. Would you mind turning your phone on? Chuck tried you earlier and I called you at least a half dozen times before you got back." Serena decided that retreat didn't sound like such a bad idea. Nate was okay. Distracted by his problems with Vanessa no doubt.

She couldn't resist the urge to keep checking up on him. Blair had relayed Vanessa's promise, but from what she could tell, Nate still didn't know about his wife and Carter.

She'd been completely serious about bringing breakfast for both Nate and Dan. For the latter, since he suddenly had such a problem with being seen out in public with her and Nate because she'd been thinking about him the night before and again that morning. Wondering if Vanessa had finally done it.

Apart of her didn't want Nate to find out the truth, but it was bound to come out. The best thing would be for it to come from Vanessa but if the other woman continued skirting the issue, then Serena couldn't see how she'd have any other choice than to tell her old friend the truth.

"Remember that you can call me no matter what." Serena reminded, "Or please call Chuck at least. He's worried about you, too." Serena insisted.

Nate frowned, watching her go. She and Chuck had tried to call him. He hadn't turned his ringer off. He reached for it, trying to remember if he'd thought to charge the damn thing.

_Across the Hall…_

Dan found himself pacing back and forth, trying not to compare the size of the bathroom to his much smaller living room. The freaking walk-in shower was about as huge as his postage-stamp kitchen. Bass would never hear him utter the words but Dan was suddenly glad that he'd let himself be talked into staying at the Palace.

"Humphrey, say something. Have you heard a single word that I've said in the past five minutes?"

Not really, he rolled his eyes skyward but refrained from admitting that truth. "Of course, I heard you."

"Well, can it with the grunts and noncommittal bullshit. You can do better than that. I wouldn't have hired you otherwise."

"Sorry, Suz." Dan found himself apologizing, the same way he was always blanketing her with apologizes and promises to do better. The woman always had a way of making him feel like an inept ass that couldn't even be trusted to write an obit.

When his editor had first called, he'd tried playing it cool with Serena in the room, but as usual, the longer they spoke the louder Suz would get. She didn't have a problem letting him and the world in general know when he'd fucked up beyond belief. Instead of firing him though, she kept giving him shit assignments.

He'd still been sitting at the table with Serena, with Suz calling him ever type of incompetent fool. No way Serena hadn't heard that. Hell the people in the next room couldn't have helped overhearing that.

"Listen, I know you're upset."

"You begged me for this chance. Begged me, Humphrey." Suz reminded. "I know it's not glamorous like features or the crime beat but you've got a lot more ground to cover before you get anywhere near either one of those.."

"I know."

"And you begged me for Josie's spot while she's on maternity leave. You're supposed to be writing obits, running copy and getting coffee for the others…not taking over the society page. Temporarily."

The only reason he'd been able to get that on top of all the begging was talking up his vast knowledge of the UESers that he'd gone to school with. She'd been impressed, knowing exactly who Chuck Bass was, who didn't? And Serena? She was making a name for herself at that upstart fashion magazine. It'd taken months of convincing both Suz and Josie to give him a chance but he'd done it.

Now he couldn't be there. Damn. He was screwed. Dan didn't want to lose this chance and end up doing the shit work for another year and a half. But he didn't have a choice. "Ronald Breyer would probably make a good fit until Josie gets back." He heard the words and felt his mouth moving but couldn't believe what he was saying.

Apparently, neither could Suz. She was quiet. Not for long though, "You listen to me. I run things here. If I wanted Breyer writing about some socialite forgetting to poop and scoop after her fucking toy poodle I'd have chosen him and not you."

"I'm sorry. But this thing with my sister. She's getting out of the hospital tomorrow." Jenny was a large part of the reason he was staying, why he wanted to help Chuck and Nate in their investigation. Certainly, he admitted to himself, the truth that the blonde waiting for him in the next room factored into his desire to stick around New York for a while yet.

"Listen, kid." Finally, Suz softened. "I haven't forgotten what happened with your sister. We're pulling for a full recovery for her. Girl's got some real talent. I'm sorry."

"Thanks." Dan shifted, uncomfortable with the woman's display of sensitivity, softening to the hardcore exterior that she presented to the world.

She cleared her throat, as if as uncomfortable as he. "Yeah, well. Wish I could allow you more time but I've got a paper to run. You're needed here."

"But…"

"No excuses. You've got another week. After that, you'd better be flying home. Or else find yourself another job. I'd hate to lose you. You've got a lot of potential but you're not doing anything with it in New York. At least not for the paper." And there she was. The slave driver who'd given him a chance and made his life a living hell. Warning before the rug could be pulled out from under him.

Dan said his goodbyes, wondering how in the hell he could pull it off. Maintain the life that he'd started to build for himself in Chicago and deal with the responsibilities that he'd made his own. Chuck's priority was as much keeping his father's "good" name untarnished as it was catching the maniac starting the fires. Dan wanted justice for his sister. He wanted to make sure that no one else he cared about could be hurt by old grudges and vengeance.

He tipped his head, listening for movement on the other side of the bathroom and could find none. God, how was he going to face Serena? Granted she knew that he job at the paper wasn't the glitz and glam that she might be used to at her magazine, but that did nothing for his uncontrollable urge to impress. One that he'd thought he'd left behind the last time they'd broken up in high school.

He walked out of the bathroom and found the suite empty. Their breakfast had been cleared from the table and a note left in Serena's lazy scrawl.

"Had to go. Talk to you later. S." it said simply enough.

Well, that solved his sudden case of nerves. He knew that that he'd planned to stay away from her, but breakfast in the suite had seemed safe enough. Despite his embarrassment, Dan wished that she hadn't left without saying goodbye. He started to reach for the new cell phone that he'd been forced to buy after "losing" the other.

He didn't want to seem over eager. He could play it could. Lines rehearsed themselves in his head, each sounding lamer than the last. Maybe he should wait. Give her a chance to get to work and forget what she might've overheard.

Back and forth he went with all the reasons to wait, being crowded out by all reasons that he couldn't. In the end it was decided for him when his cell phone rang.

Dan smiled. He guessed that he wasn't the only one who'd had a good time that morning. His good humor was short-lived. Dan answered, his words coming out more ill-tempered than he intended. "Yeah?"

The woman on the other end of the line didn't seem to notice or care about his mood, "Thank god. Where are you? Are you at the Palace?"

"Uh, yeah. Good Morning to you, too. "

"Have you seen Nate?" She demanded, ignoring all pretenses of manners and pleasantries. Her panic came through loud and clear, unmistakable even if he hadn't known her all of his life.

Had his best friend somehow discovered the fact that Nate hadn't spent the past few nights in his suite? Dan wondered, feeling bad for the spiraling couple. He hadn't told his best friend about her husband's late night activities figuring that they'd both been hurt enough. "No, I haven't seen him." Not the truth of what he knew, but definitely not a lie.

"Oh my God. I have to find him. I need to find him."

Her worry and fear were infectious things, scratching at him with deep nails until panic etched its way down his spine. "What's wrong? Has someone called from the station?"

Fuck. Had the arsonist gone after Nate this time? Who was he supposed to call first? The cops? Chuck? Godammit…. Dread filled him. They'd been kind of friends in high school except those times when they weren't. During that period when they'd both loved Serena. When Dan had resented Nate for the ease with which things seemed to come to him. Then that next year Dan had learned that Nate and those of the UES had it just as bad if not worse than the rest of them. He didn't want anything bad to happen to the guy.

"No. My phone. He picked up my phone this morning by mistake."

Dan latched on to her words immediately, understanding suddenly flooding through, erasing his own worries. "This morning? So that's where he's been going."

"Dammit. Dan, would you just listen to what I'm saying? Nate has my phone. He has my phone and if he looks at it." She sounded on the verge of tears, if not full-on hysteria. He had to get her calmed down.

"Calm down."

"Oh my god…oh my god."

"You need to take a deep breath."

"Could you not use that tone with me? Stop handling me…"

"I'm trying to be your friend here. You need to sit down and breathe before you pass out." He retorted.

"You want to be my friend." The laughter that grated his ears was wretched and inhuman. "Then help me. Find Nate. Find him and take my phone before he looks at it."

"What the hell have you done now?" Friend or no, Dan couldn't help the words that came out. Couldn't help wonder what new way his best friend had found to self-destruct her marriage.

"Please. I promise that I'll explain everything later. Right now. I need you to find him."

"And then what?" Dan demanded, "Walk up to the guy and say, 'Nate before you search your wife's phone, I really need to ask you to hand it over'."

"Ask to borrow it or pick his pocket. Please, Dan. If you care about me…"

She'd said it again. Of course, he cared about her. He'd always loved Vanessa in his own way. Maybe not the way that they'd both wanted once upon a time, but he didn't want to see her hurting or scared.

"Are you sure that it's not a good idea to just let him see whatever it is and get it out of the way?"

Vanessa made a sound of disbelief, "This isn't how I wanted him to know…I need to tell him."

"About what?" Dan demanded, still uncertain what the hell they were talking about. Was she still running around with her boyfriend?

"Nate first and then I promise, I'll tell you everything."

"Fine. I'll try. But I'm going to hold you to your word. You tell Nate the big secret and then let your old friend in on it, too."

She was quiet and he would've thought that she'd hung up if not for the puffs of air coming from her side of the phone. He rolled his eyes. "Vanessa, sit down and put your head through your knees."

"I'll be fine. Just go find Nate. Now!"

The line ended abruptly with that.

Dan stood there, his marching orders received and not sure what the hell to do with them. He couldn't exactly call Nate. Vanessa had his phone and if he called Vanessa's number then Nate would answer and know that the phone in his possession wasn't his own and then look at whatever and the hell Vanessa didn't want him seeing. Shit. Chuck. Maybe Chuck knew how to track down his best friend, but then he'd want to know why Dan was looking for him. Maybe Serena knew.

He silently thanked his best friend for pulling him into her mess, his mouth twisted into a bitter parody of a smile. He didn't need this. Goddamn Vanessa. He really didn't need this.

~ஐ~

Out of sight but definitely not completely out of mind, Chuck mused. He'd been pulled in, despite himself. Losing hours and relaxing in the throes of success. A high that he'd chased early on in life, trying to emulate his father. Make the old man proud of him. All of his efforts hadn't amounted to much but he'd gotten an insatiable taste for business. It was sort of like what he felt for Blair sometimes, satisfied and yet never quite assuaged.

The usual thrill was present as he updated his team of executives with highlights his successful business lunch from the day before, but _she _was there too. In his mind and thoughts. Being with her last night. Just….together had made him beyond happy.

Chuck didn't realize he was smiling until the lull in conversation around him became to evident to ignore. He cleared his throat, smile falling away as if it had never been, he shut down his expression as he'd seen his father do in the past. A parody that never failed to send his younger brother into hysterics. He tried not to smile as his executives reacted quite differently as they squirmed in their seats, looking away from him.

His secretary saved them all as she stuck her head through the door, "Mr. Bass."

She'd been with him for years and he could read her face as easily as she could decipher his moods. She said him name and nothing more, signaling him almost inconspicuously.

He cleared his throat and made a show of glancing at his watch. "We've been at this for a while. Let's say we take a break. Grab some coffee. We can reconvene in about twenty."

The room cleared rather quickly after that, but he heard more than one grumble and he almost called them all back inside when he heard Blair's name coupled with his own. One of his people nursing the fantasy that Chuck was becoming too distracted and losing his edge. Not for the first time, he wondered if the arsonist was closer than he'd first believed.

"Mr. Bass, your call." His secretary reminded from the doorway.

Right. "Of course. Thanks again. Please hold all my calls and clear my schedule for the rest of the day if you can. Unless it's…"

"Miss Waldorf or your family." The woman sighed, rolling her eyes. "I remember."

He would've tried his father's "Ironman" impersonation on her but she was about as unfazed by it as Eric.

"I'll take care of it. Did you want me to make your excuses to the others, as well?"

"Would you?"

"Consider it done," she started from the room.

Chuck adored the woman but he waited until the door shut firmly behind her before picking up the call that he'd been expecting. "Mike. What do you have for me?"

"The same. My guy talked to the nurse again. She identified Miss Sparks without hesitation." Mike told him.

The relief that he'd felt that first time, hearing confirmation of Whoregina's whereabouts, didn't touch him now. It was third party. Mike's guy hadn't gotten eyes on confirmation for himself. Chuck couldn't shed himself of the aching suspicion that that bitch had something to do with what was happening.

Olivia George. It was too much. Too coincidental.

"And he can't get in there." Chuck murmured more to himself than the private investigator. It wasn't long before he realized the truth, that he'd get no satisfaction from second-hand information.

"He didn't try. What do you want him to make a go for it?" Mike was saying.

Chuck shook his head. That wasn't what he wanted. Only one way now to figure out if Whoregina was behind his troubles. "That won't be necessary. I would, however, like an address for the sanitarium."

"I'll do you one better." Mike didn't argue, understanding immediately what Chuck intended. "I'll have my guy meet you at the airport."

"Private airfield, actually. I'll be taking the jet, of course."

He'd need to call the pilot. The girls would be taken care of for the night. But what the hell was he supposed to do about Blair? They hadn't spent an entire night away from one another since she'd woken up.

Chuck considered and quickly rejected the idea of sending either Nate or Dan in his place to confirm Georgina's location. He wouldn't be satisfied until he saw that crazy bitch in a padded cell with his own eyes. He needed to go, but what about Blair?

~ஐ~

"Gay. He's gay."

Blair glared at the old woman who'd been keeping pace with her. So what if the old bird was only repeating Blair's assessment of decades' past.

"Dan is not gay, B." Serena grumbled through the Bluetooth clipped to Blair's ear. "And why are you discussing my personal business with a perfect strange."

Sighing, Blair rolled her eyes, "Estelle's not a stranger. She's just a nosey old lady who enjoys horning in on other peoples' conversations. It's rude_. Rude_."

The Golden Girls Reject ignored the pointed jab aimed in her direction. Her wrinkled visage was thoughtful as she pushed along behind her own walker. "Hmm, did she ask him about the woman?"

"What woman?" Both Blair and Serena sputtered.

"The one he was on the phone with." Estelle explained as if they were both too slow to be bothered with. She motioned for them to catch up.

"What? Who?" Her best friend's demand for answers rang in Blair's ears.

Trying not to cringe, she started to lower the volume from ear-splitting to tolerable. "That was his editor, Estelle." She explained, for the moment turning a deaf ear on her friend's questions.

Estelle nodded sagely, "Or so he told your blonde friend there. I say it's a girlfriend. Why else would he leave the room? Fella thinks he's a smooth one."

"Oh, trust me. That is the last word anyone will ever use to describe Dan Humphrey."

"I suppose you maybe have a point…from what you've told me at least, young lady." Estelle nodded. "Speaking of smooth, though, where's that cheeky, young devil that's usually joined at the hip with you."

"He's at work." She'd told the old woman the same at least twice already in the past half hour since her permanent shadow had intruded on her walk.

"B!" Serena cried out. "I call you for help and suddenly I get completely kicked out of the conversation…about my love life, for godsakes."

"Sorry, S. Estelle and I got distracted." Blair admitted. She glanced off to the side at the old lady who didn't look the least bit winded from their exertions. Blair really wanted to take a break. Her legs and arms felt achy but she'd damned if she'd get shown up by the eighty-two-year-old woman.

"I should probably get back to work. I just wanted to talk to you about all the mixed signals that I keep getting from him. Tell Estelle that he's most certainly not gay and I'm pretty sure that there's no one else."

"Then it's you." Blair informed.

Serena was quiet, letting that sink into her shocked-addled brain. "Me?"

"You know what I mean."

"Um, actually I don't. What' do you mean it's me?" Serena demanded, not shy about her indignation or disbelief.

"I didn't mean it like that, S. Maybe he's intimidated by the past. You guys don't exactly have the best track record and it's not like he's back in New York to stay." Blair reminded. "Maybe there isn't a girlfriend back in Chicago but he has a life. Work. Maybe he doesn't see a point in starting things up again when he'll just be leaving for home…his new home in a few weeks."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Of course it does. I'm always right." She smiled. The thrill of being dead on never quite got old and she was only a little disturbed at having a peek into good ol' Brooklyn's psyche.

"We'll talk later. Tell Estelle that I said thanks for all her advice. Even if she was dead wrong with half of it."

"I will most certainly not. It might encourage her." Blair glared at the old woman again. She was fairly certain that the old bat had heard every single word, despite Blair having turned down the volume on the Bluetooth. Maybe Estelle had super-human hearing or a really amazing hearing aid. "Love you, sweetie."

Blair said goodbye to her best friend and turned back to the old woman keeping pace with her. Or who she was keeping up with. Barely. Definitely time for a break. "Okay, Estelle. Entertainment hour is over. You want to play voyeur and get your sex and drama for the day, then do it like all the other geriatrics and find a Soap."

"But you kids are so much more fun to watch." Estelle sighed, dreamily. "Blondie chasing after her gay ex. Skanky Vanessa sleeping with Carter."

"Ssh!!!!" Blair looked around as if expecting Nate to pop up around the corner.

"Oops. Sorry."

"And this is why you should stick to fiction." Blair said, "Okay, here's your room. Go eat your lunch and maybe I'll consider letting you tag along with me in a few hours."

"Fine, but you'll have to promise to fill me in on your little date. I heard the nurses talking about it earlier."

Her mouth wanted to twitch into an easy smile but Blair pressed her lips together in a flat line. "We'll see."

"Hot damn." Estelle started for her own room, "Good girl. Now be nice and I might fill you in on Ellen and her interview with that yummy fella from those vampire pictures."

Shaking her head, Blair hurried as quickly as she could away from the woman's room before she changed her mind. Or insisted that Blair come sit with her. It wasn't that she really minded the old woman's company. She just didn't want to embarrass herself.

She'd overdone it. Despite all of her promises to take it easy, she'd pushed herself a little harder than she'd meant to and if she were to go and there and sit with Estelle for even a minute then Blair knew without a doubt that she wouldn't make it back to her feet under her own steam.

She wasn't that far from her own room. Blair would go back and lie down for a while and if she couldn't move for a few hours than who would know. She could play the bitch card and exile any visitors impinging on her personal time.

"Blair."

No. No. So close, she tried not to pout. The voice registered and she bit back a groaned. Great, not him. Bring back Estelle. The old lady was a pain but she wouldn't rat Blair out.

Granted, Will couldn't exactly rat her out to himself.

She pasted a too bright smile on her face and turned in the direction where she'd heard his voice. "Hey." That smile dropped a little and suspicion flared in her eyes when she saw him coming at her, pushing that empty wheelchair.

No way could the old lady have called him that first. No, but he'd clearly been waiting to ambush her. She didn't need that thing. She could make it another few hundred yards or so to her room.

"Just the lady I was looking for."

"And for what might I ask," Blair questioned lightly, her eyes never leaving the chair that he pushed and her feet itching to keep moving. She really shouldn't stand still too much longer or her knees might get ideas about the nature of gravity. Ideas that wouldn't factor in things like Blair's dignity.

"I thought you might be up for a field trip."

She didn't mind his company but she really did want to get back to her room. Time for just herself didn't sound bad at all. They could walk the halls of the hospital another time. Walk being the operative word.

"I don't know. Maybe a little later."

"Oh, come on. After all the complaints about being stuck inside, I change my mind and give you the green light for some fresh air…the sun on your face I believe you mentioned."

Her wobbling knees stiffened and Blair felt herself standing taller, straighter. Outside? As in no more blue walls and endless beeping and squeaking shoes?

"What do you say, Blair? You up for some fresh air? Beautiful day out." Chambers smiled, "Come on. I'll let you in on a bit of good news on the way."

She perked up even more at this new tidbit he dangled before her. "What kind of news?"

"Come with me and find out." He held out his hand, waiting.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** So a little something, something thrown in there along with more CB goodness. Hope it makes up for that first scene which…and yes that scene was necessary. I'm going somewhere with that…believe me and think will offer an interesting development. That being said, I truly hope that you guys enjoyed this one and as always let me know what you're thinking. I'll definitely be updating within the next day or two. *rubs hands together relishing all those hours opened up with being able to write at work* Yay for technology. Later. ;)

Courtneyஐ


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** It's MAY. Wow. Can you believe long it took getting here but then again it feels like we were all waiting restlessly for the return of our favorite show and all of it's glorious drama…hmm then again we had hiatus after hiatus so nevermind. No rambling from me tonight. Too much to do. Last week of classes coming up. Yay. But three more eps to go people. :D. Thanks again for all of the reviews from before, your words are love. Kisses to Wifey and my girls.

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**Chapter 23**

Hours after he'd promised to track down his best friend's husband, Dan had accomplished at least that part of his marching orders. It hadn't been hard. Nate had shown up at the suite looking for _him_.

The other man had looked about ready to explode. He'd warned Dan to stop keeping tabs on him, and couldn't have cared less about Dan's denials otherwise. Granted Dan had been fully aware of the late hours the other man kept and not because of he'd been waiting up and listening for the sound of Nate creeping in across the hall.

Dan was up, more than not, hours before dawn, when night still had a firm hold on the city. Some nights he needed to be out, high up in the night air. Looking down over the side from the balcony. He'd see the bridge and remember what life had been like before he'd left it all behind for Berkeley. Before he and Serena broke up. Made up. Broke up and made up again and again until they were left uncertain just what was holding them together.

Other nights found him sleepless and trying to write a novel that he'd given up on years ago. Something about being home again, left him inspired. He tried not to think to hard on how simply being back in the same city as Serena Van der Woodsen stirred old ambitions and feelings.

How could Dan help it hearing Nate's nocturnal comings and goings, when the hall outside was deathly quite during those hours. The echoing sound of a door shutting and retreating footsteps.

Dan hadn't been intentionally listening for the other man. If not for Vanessa's confirmation, he wouldn't even know for sure whether or not Nate was simply bunking at Bass' or if he was spending the night with some random chick.

It wasn't any of his business. Except, Vanessa had pulled him right smackdab into the middle of it all.

Hours after Nate had none too gently told him to butt out and miles away from New York City, the twosome stepped off an elevator. The whole Charlie Trout debacle still fresh in his mind from their little showing or coming out in New Jersey, he let Nate take the lead this time.

Dan pretended to fiddle with the visitors pass he'd traded his driver's license for at the security desk. He hung back, watching Nate flash his badge. Dan wasn't sure what did it, the badge or when the other man leaned against the counter, his smile and expression designed to charm and inspire trust. Whatever the other man was putting out there, drew an instantaneous reaction from the nurse.

The same as with the woman in Jersey. Her expression was flattered and bearing as if she couldn't wait to help.

Yep. They were definitely better off with Nate doing the talking, because if hte badge didn't get people talking, then years of Nate trading on his charm and good looks would.

"You and your partner came all the way down from New York? I thought Mildred was from Jersey?"

"She is," Nate said quickly, "but one of her properties in New York was broken into and vandalized. There was a fire and well…we just wanted to have a chat with Mrs. Franklin. See if she knows of anyone with a grudge. "

"Against Mildred? I don't think so." The nurse shook her head. "Not unless you want to question Mrs. Thompson in RM 237? She's been upset since old man Brody dumped her for Mildred. Of course, Mildred wouldn't give him the time of day but that makes Mrs. Thompson no nevermind."

Dan shook his head. So this was what he had to look forward to in another sixty years. He could just picture a tottering Nate, macking on everything in pantyhose and himself wrinkled, gray and still mooning over one Serena Van der Woodsen.

He heard something buzzing and flinched, his eyes shooting to Nate. The blonde was oblivious, wrapped up in his conversation with the nurse. The buzzing came again, felt the phone vibrating in his pocket. They'd left a message for Chuck, letting him know about their train ride to Baltimore.

The facility where Mildred Franklin's children had dumped her wasn't exactly…well a dump but it no. Now if only they could get a few minutes with the old lady to see if she knew anything about the fires. Maybe get some clue where her offspring might be.

Before they'd even set foot away from the Palace, Dan had been the first to jump on anything that might have Nate reaching for his phone. The other man had called in sick using the hotel phone and Dan put the call in to Chuck before the man's best friend could think to do so.

He'd been trying to figure out a way to get Vanessa's phone without raising Nate's suspicions. Yeah, not so easy. Hours and still the thing had yet to ring.

His own phone buzzed again, snagging his attention. Dan cursed silently when he saw Vanessa's name, his eyes going automatically to the back of Nate's head.

"Um…now's not a good time." He warned.

"Please tell me that you found him and you have my phone. Please."

Ever so slowly, Dan took one step and then another, backpedaling until he could barely decipher Nate's conversation with the nurse. "Yes and no. I'm with Nate now."

"And my phone?"

"Are you sure that he even has it." Dan frowned over his shoulder. Seriously? Hours and not one call. On the entire train ride down, his nerves had been stretched to breaking, waiting for the thing to come to life and tip Nate off that something was very, very wrong.

"Yes! He grabbed it this morning…our phones were sitting together and he took it. God. I didn't even realize it until he was already gone."

"And you still haven't told me what he was doing there, bright and early. Nevermind. I don't need details." Dan shook his head. "Look. This thing hasn't gone off even once all morning."

"I reported it stolen. The phone company turned it off."

"Oh. Well problem solved, then."

"No. Problem not even close to being solved. Dan, come on." Vanessa begged.

"Fine. I'll call you when I get it." He hung up and almost walked right into Nate as he turned back. "Hey…man. Buddy. Hey." Shit.

Nate stared at him, his eyes flat and mouth compressed.

How much exactly had the man heard? "Um, how'd it go? Can we see her?"

"Yeah, but only for a few minutes. And the nurse doesn't know how much help the Franklin woman will be. She's got Alzheimer's. Lost in her own world more than not." Nate shrugged, "Who was that?"

"What?" Phone still clutched in his hand, he pretended not to be fully aware of what Nate referred to.

"On the phone. Who'd you suddenly get the overwhelming need to talk to?" Nate demanded. His voice hushed and almost conversational, not wanting to invite questions or obstacles from the staff at Franklin's nursing home.

"What? That…that was my editor. Woman's been calling me all morning. She wants my ass back in Chicago."

The suspicious glint in Nate's eyes didn't let up. "That was Serena, wasn't it?"

What? Serena. "I'm sorry?"

"Fuck. It was Serena." Nate shook his head. "I thought we agreed to leave her out of this as much as possible. You can't keep her in the loop. It's too dangerous."

"You think that I know that." Dan retorted. "For days, I've been avoiding spending time with her because of how dangerous my life has suddenly become. Don't lecture me, man."

"So that was a Serena look-a-like who dropped by your suite with breakfast this morning." The other man nodded as if reaching some great moment of understanding. "Sure sounded like Serena when I talked to her."

"I didn't invite her over. She stopped by and I figured it was safe enough." Dan told him. Yes, he'd given in earlier. Just a few hours locked in his suite, away from prying eyes with ill intentions. "And I haven't told her anything. She's probably gotten more out of you and Chuck if you want the truth."

"Keep it that way."

"And don't order me around. I'm not one of Chuck's hirelings. I'm here for my own reasons." He reminded, "Now, if we're done here could we please go badger the old lady."

The other man seemed to relax after that and Dan felt the tension seep away from him. At least until Nate held out his hand. "I need your phone."

"Fuck, man. I told you it was my editor." He started to suggest Nate use his own damn phone but then remembered that this was the last thing that they needed to happen.

"Look, I left my phone back at the Palace. I just wanted to check in with Chuck, see if he's heard anything from Mike yet."

Damn he couldn't exactly say no, or dial Chuck's number himself.

"Gentlemen, you should really come along. Mildred's been fairly lucid today. It's comes and goes, though." The nurse called out to them.

Thank you god. "We should go. We can call Bass on our way back up."

"Yeah, I guess so." Nate nodded thoughtfully.

Even though he'd promised to help his best friend, Dan felt like shit. Vanessa fucked up and he was the one sneaking around and lying his ass off. Once Nate's back was turned he made sure to erase Vanessa's recent call from his "call log."

Shit.

~ஐ~

There was no time for panic didn't really set in. Not at first. She wasn't in her room. He'd checked twice. Her room. Jenny's. Even the old woman's. Estelle. Blair loved to bitch and moan about the old woman latching on to her, joining her daily circuit around the wing with their twin, metallic walkers. But she wasn't there and Estelle hadn't seen

The nurses were no fucking help. At first, he couldn't find anyone and then none of the floor nurses seemed to know where she might have gone. They suggested that perhaps, Blair's psychologist had moved up their appointment and relocated the session to her office, rather than Blair's room.

Control slipping, Chuck forced himself to wait as the nurses put the call through to the woman's office, only to find that Blair's appointment had been cancelled. Chambers wasn't in his office.

It was the worse case scenario. His fears made real.

Had McCarty or his partner, this mysterious Olivia George, carted Blair away right under everyone's noses?

He'd cut his day short. His mind full of Whoregina and Prague. Wondering what excuses he'd make to Blair for breaking with their routine and who he could get to spend the night in his place. His dear sister was of course the logical choice. Hell, he'd have settled for Eleanor if necessary. Now she was gone.

It wasn't fair. For five years, he'd been forced to go on with the business of life and fatherhood without her. Then suddenly she was back and things were started to settling, giving Chuck a taste of how things were supposed to be from the very start.

He couldn't just stand there. He needed to call someone. Nate. He'd call his best friend. They could get an APB out on Blair and McCarty. Maybe even Whoregina. Was Chambers another of the bad guys? He'd had the man checked out but nothing came with guarantees. Things were missed and connections overlooked.

Chuck was on the verge of pulling his phone out when he remembered that Nate and Dan were hours away in Baltimore, chasing a lead on the Franklin woman. That was fine. He'd kept up with many of his father's old connections and made some of his own since taking over Bass Industries. He could have the cops out looking for Blair in minutes.

But what if it was already too late? Chuck pushed away from the nurses' station, giving free rein to the panic scrapping across his belly and firing through his blood until it was all he could see…all he could feel.

Blair. Where in the hell was she?

~ஐ~

Everything was falling into place.

All the things that she'd wanted, that she'd hoped for were finally coming to fruition.

That alone made her afraid. She wasn't a fool. In the past, every single time that she'd been sure of all of her "perfect" plans, something or someone invariably came along to twist and shake all of her fantasies, dreams of happily ever after.

Every single time, somehow all of her plans always managed to go straight to hell. Whether it was having her Prince fall in love with her best friend. Or having her visions of a romantic Tuscan getaway with Chuck disintegrate before her very eyes. In past, every time that Blair thought she had everything all figured out and that "hey, this is it. This is what I want. What's meant to be" life came along with other ideas.

Like Bart dying, after she and Chuck finally decided that they couldn't bear waiting for some undefined moment in the "future." Getting pregnant with the twins and throwing her dreams of Yale into jeopardy. Then getting it all figured out in her mind if not practice, how she'd juggle motherhood and academia, only to have it all taken away.

Blair threw her head back, sunlight caressing her face in the softest of kisses. Her life was slowly getting back on track. Unlike other days, she couldn't quite silence that nagging voice that wondered what was going to come along to mess _this _up.

No, she rallied against that voice, her own doubts. Maybe she couldn't expect things to fall perfectly in line with the fairytale life that she'd dreamed up, listening to Dorota at night before bedtime. Nothing worth having was easily won. She understood that after her tumultuous relationship with Chuck and every other hurdle that life decided to throw at her.

But she wanted them. She wanted to be apart of what Chuck had built without her. Yes, she was terrified of reaching for him, for that life and having it snatched away but damned if she wasn't willing to fight to keep it.

More than her place as Queen. More than she'd ever wanted Yale. It was her mother's love and approval all wrapped in one but she understood that her babies would never make her work for it. She knew that no badly how many times she screwed up, she was "Mommy." Chuck had given her something wonderful, in just the fact that he'd made certain that Evie and Kat knew their mother. Made her someone in their minds that they could so readily accept and love. And for that she'd love him forever. For that she was willing to do whatever necessary to hold on to that life.

Damn fate and anyone who tried to take them away from her. She was done with fantasizing and making plans. This was her family and she wasn't letting that go. Not for all the world.

"Are you okay?"

Blair turned to face the man sitting at her side and forced away the fierce mood that had taken hold of her expression and manner. She flashed a quick, easy smile at her doctor and set about putting him at ease. "I'm fine."

"You sure? This wasn't too much?"

She shook her head, turning her face up to worship the sun's return to her world. Sunlight and cool air danced across her skin, raising gooseflesh, pleasure at the mere sensation pulling a sigh from her. She glanced across the courtyard, her gaze following the threesome moving from one part of the hospital's small playground to the next. From the slide to the merry-go-round to swings and back again. She wanted that. The simple things that had never been hers or that she'd taken for granted in the past. Moments like watching her daughters and Dorota at play. Or brief kiss of sunlight on her skin. She shivered at the feeling.

"Cold?"

"Not even a little." She said, looking down at her jean-clad legs and the coat that her best friend had thought to pick up when she'd gone on her little shopping spree the day before.

Another win for her bestie, pulling through for her right on time. Blair wondered if Serena had had an inkling of the doctor's news or this surprise. Not only did she get a free day, out in the open-air but it seemed that before the clock struck midnight announcing the New Year, she would have new digs.

Sure another hospital room, but one step closer to home and family. Getting stronger and deciding where she needed to go and what she wanted to do with herself, once she was back in top form and recovered from five years of just lying in that bed while life slipped right on by without her. Damn she was afraid to want. Afraid to watch this new dream, or rather revived wish to be smothered away.

"Want to talk about it?" Chambers broke into her thoughts again, pulling her gaze to his face.

"Huh?"

"You've been a tad quieter than your usual self. Hell, who am I kidding? You've been less than your demanding and talkative self, Blair. Penny for your thoughts," he joked, his expression open and waiting.

Biting back a sharp retort, Blair tried not focusing too hard on how much she abhorred that expression and concentrate on the sentiment behind it.

Teeth sinking into her bottom lip, she felt the pull of those dark uncertain thoughts. Suppose she made a mess of things again. "I'm just wondering what happens tomorrow."

"Well, if you're really worried about leaving St. Vincent's I'm sure that your stay could be prolonged. As I informed your parents we do have one of the foremost physical rehab facilities on the east coast....I know your friend thinks he knows what's best I've got to say that as your doctor taking you out of here for that place Bass is..."

Her forehead puckered, she did nothing to mask her sudden displeasure. "Wait! Before you utter another word that will end in me plotting your demise...please tell me that you're not planning to make me stay here any longer than necessary."

Will's answer was immediate, "No. Of course not. This is completely your decision and up to you. Not your parents or anyone else. What do you want, Blair?"

I want to go home, everything inside cried out in silence. "I want to get out of here." she murmured, uncaring of the thread of desperation in that simple declaration.

"Mommy, did you see? Did you see? Hey, watch this."

Blair looked up guiltily. No, she hadn't seen. Too wrapped up in herself and her fears. She fought the urge to cringe as her mother's face popped up on the heels of that thought. God.

What in hell was she doing? Moping when it was a beautiful day out. One that Dorota had arrived in the nick of time to allow Blair to spend with her daughters. She should be over there with Evie and Dorota, not dreaming up all the things that could go wrong.

Her eyes found Kat and Dorota by the swings again, the maid kneeling to knot loose shoestrings. The woman wasn't looking down at her handywork, her wide eyes were on another point and her entire body stiff, ringing alarm through Blair's blood before that accented voice even called out sharply. "Evie, not that way."

Heart speeding before she even laid eyes on the spectacle her other child made, standing tall at the top of the slide, that familiar Bass grin firmly in place before her daredevil kicked her sneakers over the edge.

Blair was on her feet, aches and tired muscles of an hour before, already forgotten. Metal creaked and buckled, her little girl's sock clad feet sliding, slipping across the cold, metal surface. It all happened quickly and was over almost before Blair could blank or draw breath not that she did either.

Too far away. That was all she knew. All Blair could think. What could go wrong? All the ways that small body was instantly breakable. She tried not to think about her earlier revelation. Fate having its way when she'd finally found what was "meant to be." Life laughing at her plans to have her family, come hell or highwater.

"Did you see me? Did you, Mommy?"

She was running. Her feet pounding across the short distance, and her breath came in quick puffs that had nothing to do with her quick sprint. "Evelyn Bass."

Evie's obvious pleasure in her successful stunt fled, her eyes blinking with her confusion and worry as she caught sight of her mother's bloodless feature and dark eyes. The child took a hesitate step in Blair's direction but didn't reach out, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

A punch to the belly. That was what it felt like, seeing her baby's glance of uncertainty. A look that she aimed at Dorota and not Blair, seeking reassurance that all was still well in her world.

"Baby, I'm sorry." Blair schooled her expression, recognizing too much of her younger self in that telling glance. She started in forward, her steps steady and sure even if her hands quaked "Mommy overreacted. You just really scared me. That's all."

A slow nod was Blair's first reward and then that pink bow mouth was smiling, her eyes focused on a point over her mother's shoulder. Relief flaring in Evie's eyes.

"Blair!"

Of course. _He'd_ seen it, hadn't he? Watched her standing immobile and useless when something truly wrong could've happened to one of their babies.

She'd barely turned, apologies and fears realized, on the tip of her tongue. Chuck didn't give her a chance, though. His arms wrapped tightly about her, unknowingly offering comfort to her frayed nerves. Bair didn't want to move. Didn't want him to let her go. Just as Evie sought out Dorota's reassurance, Blair leaned close to her children's father, wanting to burrow in deep.

This wasn't about her though, "Chuck," she whispered, her breath coming in short puffs and making her suddenly away of just how tightly he was holding on to her. "I can't breathe."

"Bass," Chambers stepped forward, earning a glare from the other man.

Enough already. Their little games and masculine powerplays were far from amusing at that point. She wanted to tell Chambers to back off and Chuck to get over it. She wasn't interested in the other man. She just wanted him, but the Basshole should know it and know it well by now. Blair didn't have time to soothe male egos, she wanted to coddle her daughter and reassure herself of their footing.

Blair pulled away, her head craning until she spotted Evie with Dorota and her twin sister. The maid was helping the child back into her shoes. "I need to check on Evie." She told Chuck, his hand a tight vise around her arm.

He looked at her then. His eyes finally meeting hers, confusion surfacing as her words sank in. He glanced in the twins' direction, his body relaxing after a moment's study. Chuck demanded, "What happened?"

Wait, so he hadn't witnessed their youngest daughter, scaring the living hell out of Blair and then apparently, Blair returning the favor. "Are you telling me that you just missed Evie's version of Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Minus the tighty-whities and Ray-bans of course?"

Brow furrowed, he glanced from Blair to the girls and back again, trying to decipher what he'd just walked in on. The honest truth was that Chuck hadn't seen or heard anything beyond Blair standing there. Safe and sound, despite his worse imaginings. He knew that he should alert security, let them know that they could call off the search of the hospital that he'd insisted on.

"Miss Evie, scare Dorota and her Mama, both." The maid confirmed, "She decide to take up surfing without the water."

"It was fun." Evie peeked up though long lashes, suddenly shy as she looked at her mother, shifting back from one foot to the next. "Sorry, Mommy."

"It's fine. Just don't do anything like that again." Blair held out a hand and the girl came without hesitation. "We should take this inside. Mommy's had quite enough fresh air for one day. Besides, we have to tell your father about our surprise."

"Another one? Hmm, I must have been a very good boy this year." He whispered, still something worrisome and distracted in him manner.

A fact that Blair saw quite clearly with Evie's fingers tucked firmly in one hand. "Are you okay?" What exactly had left him so grabby? Whatever it was had shaken him, that much she could see.

"Fine," he lied, turning away from her and letting go long enough to scoop Kat into his arms. "Hey, Baby."

"Chuck." Blair lips quirked, inquiring and displeased all at once.

He ignored her, "So which of my girls is going to spill the beans about this 'surprise' your mother is teasing me with. I have to say. I'm a little wounded. All of you ganging up on your old man, not fair at all."

"Stop trying to lay a guilt trip, Bass. You're avoided my question. What happened?" Blair stepped close, her words low enough for his ears alone. "You looked...worried before. Something's happened. Tell me what."

"Blair."

"Now." She stomped her foot, keeping her tone light and expression clear, not wanting a repeat of her earlier predicament with Evie. "What's wrong?"

"You were gone, okay?" He hissed, "Satisfied. Come on, you wanted to go inside, remember?"

Dumbfounded. That was the word. The perfect embodiment of what his admission left her feeling. He stalked off with Kat and Blair was sure that she would've stood rooted to that spot surprise warring with wonder and awful delight. Evie wasn't one to be left behind so she pulled Blair along.

Vaguely, she heard Will make his excuses, other patients that he'd neglected long enough he said. She did roll her eyes at Chuck's cheerful send-off.

She wondered how he'd feel when Blair told him her news about tomorrow. The transfer to the private hospital. One step closer to home and then her plans for the coming evening.

Blair smiled, anticipation seeping into her. The events of minutes before a surreal memory. No plans. No fairytales and fantasy. It was real. It was hers. She leaned down, brushing butterfly kisses across the soft, flesh of Evie's knuckles. "Love you, Baby." She said the words, feeling good just because she could.

She was secure that they returned that soul-deep adoration she felt whenever they were close or in her mind. That bond unbroken even after so long apart. Now, all she wanted was to be the one they looked to for reassurance.

The one true test, letting her know that shed avoided her mother's less than stellar track record in motherhood. Don't let me screw this up, she pled silently, squeezing gently on the small hand within her own.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

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**A/N:** Okay so a lot of introspection here for most of the characters. Relatively shorter than the others and alot of set up for what's coming but there were a few things. Some drama, Chuck's mini meltdown. Blair's own insecurities. Nate & Dan being Nate & Dan. Hope you liked this chapter and as always let me know what you think. A lot of interesting things coming up in the next few, so stay tuned. Later. ;)

Courtneyஐ


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Twice in one night *gasp* a little something something extra for you guys. The next chapter is running way long and I thought I'd just trim it down by posting this part early ;). I really hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I loved writing it because I just had a ball. I'm feeling beyond energized and I'm not sure if it's knowing that we've got three more eps to go or this being the last week of classes. Thank the Lord. More time for CB and a life. Much love to Wifey and my girls.

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ஐ**Chapter 24**ஐ

"You heard me, Bass. Get lost. I have plans for the evening that don't involve you."

Her words might've stung a lesser man. Hell, her icy tone would've snapped his head right off if not for the flashing, playful smile he glimpsed as she flitted from flitted from one corner of the room to the next. Straightening and cleaning what Dorota had left neat and orderly before leaving with Evie and Kat.

"I'm serious, Chuck. You need to go."

"Waldorf, you're making me dizzy here. Would you stand still?"

"Can't. Sorry. Too much to do." She started to brush by him again, but he stayed all movement, holding her to him. "Chuck, come one. I'm running out of time here."

"Blair…"

"I'm serious, Chuck. Go find some corner to hole up in with your precious cell phone or better yet go hang out with your boys."

"Oh, my boys?" Lips quirked, expression bemused.

"Yes, Eric and Nate." Blair supplied, as if he'd somehow forgotten, "Maybe you can even play at civility with Brooklyn."

Chuck held her away, trying to get a look at her face. "Wait. You're actually suggesting that I play nice with Dan Humphrey of all people."

"Hmm, yes. I believe that's the gist of what I said." She retorted lightly.

"No way."

"It'll be fun, I bet. "

He shook his head, "A bet you'd lose. Be serious, Waldorf."

"I am." Blair smiled, "You guys can all go out on your little man-date or whatever. You can relax and pump Brooklyn for information for your beloved sister."

"Please, Waldorf. Do me a favor and never ever say that again. Ever."

"Oh, get over it. You love S almost as much as I do. She's family."

"I wasn't talking about that. Chuck Bass does not and will not ever man-date as you put it." He informed, his mind working to put the pieces together.

Blair suddenly wanted him buddy-buddy with Dan Humphrey of all people. His girl had an agenda and him keeping the other man company worked twofold in Blair's favor. She'd have dirt on Serena's ex, while managing to keep Chuck clear of her precious girls' night.

It was ironic, really. He'd been trying to figure the best way to spring his sudden need to fly overseas. Now would be the perfect time to say the words. She wouldn't be alone for the night either; the most he'd been worried about before arriving to the hospital to find Blair nowhere in sight and the fucking staff acting like a gaggle of clueless idiots.

He was torn. Freaking out at the thought of leaving her alone for a few hours, separated by mere miles rather than the fucking Atlantic. But what other choice did he have?

Despite his PI's assurance, Chuck found himself becoming more and more dissatisfied with the Whoregina/Olivia George situation. Yes, his people had a nearly spotless record, coming through for him when he needed information on a perspective client or associate. Dirt on a competitor. Keeping track of Baizen's less than stellar moments, should the need for it ever arise for that information.

Still, Chuck couldn't shake the feeling that there was some connection there and the only thing that would set his mind at ease would be seeing that crazed bitch locked away. He'd gotten confirmation twice, but it wasn't enough.

Dammit, "B, why not wait a few days?" He suggested, wondering if she might be compelled to change or reschedule her slumb…soiree by a few days, if she knew about the surprise that he had waiting for her. About the downstairs apartment that he had people working on even now to get it ready for her physical therapy. Maybe, he could follow his own advice and wait a few days to get the first-hand confirmation on Georgina's whereabouts.

"Not a chance." Blair shook her head, "You should've heard my mother when I told her what we were doing tonight. I can't believe that she's joining in."

"You and me both." Chuck couldn't help pulling a face.

She shoved away from him and went back to her earlier chore in futility of seeming to clean up after Dorota.

"Blair, what are you doing?" He finally had to ask as she started shifting through drawers and the suitcases where she'd started packing up her new clothes. Anticipating her final night at St. Vincent's. She and the girls had helped or probably hindered Dorota get it all folded and ready for travel. Now Blair had emptied both suitcases, clothes strewn across the bed. "Hey, Waldorf."

"What?" She didn't turn to face him, but tossed the agitated query over her shoulder.

"What in the hell are you doing?"

"I'm looking for something." She answered, unhelpfully.

He tipped his head, trying to catch her eye, but the damn woman couldn't seem to keep still. "Tell me what it is and I might be persuaded to help you look."

"The DVD Vanessa dropped off yesterday. I can't find it." She finally paused in her search, casting her eyes about the room, as if it might suddenly just pop out for her to see. "I thought we could all watch it tonight."

Well damn.

Something in his expression must have given him away, as she quickly amended her, "Me and the girls, I mean."

The hell they were. Though, if he didn't know exactly how much it would hurt Blair to see it, it might've been almost worth it to let B play show-and-tell with that damn DVD just to see the look on Eleanor's face. He couldn't really tell that to Blair though, so he did the next best thing and changed the subject, "I still can't believe Chambers actually agreed to this."

"You're not the only one who can be _persuasive."_

"So you flirted with him."

"I. Did. Not. It's called charm. An approach that I'm sure you're passably familiar with." Blair fired back, "Perhaps, if you'd tried that approach with the man instead of threatening him…"

He interrupted, his words matter of fact and smirk barely surpressed, "I'd have a man-date."

"Shut up." She smiled, tossing a pillow at his head, which he easily batted away. "Now as I was saying…"

"It wasn't a threat." Chuck shrugged, negligibly, "Merely a statement of fact that I was more than prepared to follow through. Now you mind telling me where everyone plans on sleeping because I'm sorry but I just can't picture Lily or your mother camped out on this floor in a set of sleeping bags."

"Well, Mom and Lily are probably going to head out when they're ready for bed. The twins will have your spot. And…" Blair waved a hand at the cot that had been hidden away in the closet since the nurses first rolled the damn thing in for him to sleep on. "S and Alex sleeping there."

"Really? That thing?" He followed her pointed glance, his mouth twisting in disgust, acknowledging its presence for the first time.

"Yes, that thing that you refused to sleep on."

"Bad back, Waldorf."

"I remember." She rolled her eyes. "All the more reason for you to go home and enjoy the comfort of your own bed. Trust me. It'll do wonders for your…back."

"So you're really set on doing this?"

"Everything is in place. I just need you to make yourself scarce." The stern lines of her expression ran soft and she reached out threading her fingers through his. "Don't think for a moment that I don't know what this is about."

"Enlighten me," He brought her hand to his mouth. "Please."

"This is about earlier. When you freaked out because I wasn't where you left me? I'm not going anywhere, Bass. Promise."

Chuck looked away from her, embarrassed that she could see through the façade so easily, "Blair."

She didn't stop, instead Blair reached out, her hand under his chin. "Not like before, but you can't expect to know where I am every single second of the day and who's with me….because…well that's a little less endearing when I say it out loud and kind of disturbing, actually."

Blair's words were dead on, Chuck was damn well paranoid when it came to her but it wasn't as if he didn't have good cause to worry. She was missing that all too important piece of the puzzle. The reason. That insane instinct that had compelled him to call up his pilot hours ago.

It wasn't the coma that fueled his sudden need to go all caveman on her. What would she think when he got her back to the apartment building? An entirely different set of trappings, but if something didn't give would she come to see it as another prison, a gilded cage of sorts. Besides, there wasn't much he'd be able to do short of having someone trailing her every step and he could just imagine how she'd react to that.

Damn, he needed this arsonist caught. Any possible threat against his family eliminated so that he could be free to enjoy finally having everything that he'd ever wanted. Chuck wondered how Dan and Nate had fared with the old woman in Baltimore.

One thing was for sure though, he didn't want to wait anymore than Blair did, she for her soiree with the girls and for him it was definitively eliminating that insane bitch as the person targeting all he held dear.

"Come on, Chuck. I'm sure that you could think of something if you don't want to hang out with Nate, tonight. And I was mostly kidding about the Dan thing. Although, you would be helping to settle a bet that I have going with Estelle."

Of course there was something? Shit this had been exactly his problem after the twins were born and he was expected to fly off to Thailand or Moscow at a moments notice. Those first few years, Dorota and the twins had traveled the world with him, but that very first time he'd left them in New York had been the worse. He couldn't exactly cart Blair around the world until the arsonist was found.

He needed to do this now. Rip the band-aid off, as it was. But he'd be damned if he was going anywhere without making provisions. Blair was getting her way. She was getting rid of him for the night and likely most of tomorrow, but she'd just gained herself a permanent shadow. And he knew the perfect candidate for the job.

"Fine, Waldorf. You win."

She held his gaze, frowning and dissecting his expression, his words for something hidden.

~ஐ~

"Did you tell him about the daughter in Arizona?"

"Yep," Nate said, handing back the other man's cell phone. "But seeing as how his plane just took off destined for Prague, I don't think he's going to be able to loan you the company jet."

Dan was almost relieved that he wouldn't be boarding a plane in the next few hours. First they'd spoken to Mrs. Franklin, a thirty minute conversation for which she was lucid all of six minutes. A fire that had killed the stranger who'd been her husband for fifteen years before he'd gone to war and come home all wrong, unfit for life with the living. At least that was how the Franklin woman told it, except she'd managed it in rhyme and meter.

The daughter Emma had left for college. Tulane and never returned, instead settling in and making a life for herself in Spokane and then Tucson. Her son, Jeremy stayed with the old woman. Sticking close to Jersey. Never marrying or even falling in love. Then she'd started alternately calling Dan and Nate by her son's name, crying and smiling in the same breath. Wanting to know why she'd been abandoned and then demanding to see their report cards.

The experience had been interesting to say the least. It could have been worse. She could've called them Emma and demanded that they model their prom dresses, as she'd done to her nurse before the boys left.

"Wait, Prague?"

"Georgina….hopefully." Nate said, his head lolling against the headrest. After their little visit with Mrs. Franklin, they'd managed to miss their train ride home. Not the best idea with the station crowded with people traveling for the fast approaching New Year.

They'd waited for hours and there wasn't a rental car or even bus ticket to be had. They'd managed was standby. Now the train was hurtling, pushing forward, closer to home and all the problems that came with it.

"You sticking around tonight?" Dan wondered aloud, as if he were privy to Nate's thoughts.

"God, Humphrey, don't you ever stop?" Nate groaned, before turning it back around on the other man, "Are you gay?"

"I'm sorry?" Dan sputtered, glaring at the suddenly intrigued spectators, sitting directly across from them. "Where in the hell did that come from?"

Nate shrugged, "The girls have been talking and Blair's speculating all the reasons why you've been avoiding Serena."

"But you _know _why I've been avoiding her."

"Yes, but Blair doesn't."

"So she set you and Wonder Bass on the case. Give me a break, man."

Nate smiled at that, "Don't like it, do you?"

"Fine. You made your point." He focused his attention outside the heavy glass, watching the blurred scenery blend until it was a mass of color without sound. Silence fell between them and the man and woman listening so openly, didn't bother muffling disappointed looks and sighs, turning back to other exercises in keeping themselves amused during the train ride.

"Although, I am supposed to ask if you've got some girlfriend back in Chicago." Nate told him.

"Actually, I don't but sorry, I can't be your date for New Year's. You'll have to make other plans, Archibald." Dan shot back, "I answered yours. Are you planning on going with V to her parents' tomorrow night?"

Dan saw the lie before Nate even said the words, "Actually, I hadn't thought about it." The blonde shrugged a little too carelessly, "My mother left for Aspen a few days ago. I'll probably just hang out with Chuck and the family."

"Won't Chuck still be in Prague?"

"Not if he values his life."

Though he didn't need the confirmation, Dan still asked, "Blair?"

The twosome shared a knowing look, smiling as they pictured Blair Waldorf's reaction when Chuck dropped the Prague bomb, the day before New Year's Eve.

"Blair."

~ஐ~

_Blair, _Chuck sighed. A mirthless smile curving his mouth as he stared blindly at the amber liquid that he'd been nursing since the pilot landed them in calm skies.

He hadn't swallowed a drop, unable to savor with his mind full of Blair.

To say that she'd been unhappy with his sudden "business" trip would be the understatement of the millennium. Ha. Match struck to a powder keg was more like it.

Chuck knew it wasn't the most ideal moment, but this was one worry that needed to be set to rest, as soon as, humanly possible. He'd sworn up and down that he had every intention of being back in New York before partygoers had a chance to crowd into Times Square.

"This is my first New Year back among the living. I know we can only do so much to make it special stuck in some friggin hospital." She'd argued, flitting back and forth between being hurt and pissed off. "How do you see that even happening if you're not even there."

"It'll be unforgettable, Waldorf. I promise."

"You've got that right. It'll be extremely memorable if you mess around and get stuck on the other side of the world…in Prague…what the hell is in Prague, anyway?" Blair had demanded, but left no time for answers as she'd charged onward, outraged and accusing as if he controlled time and space. "You're going to get the New Year before us."

"B, I'm coming right back."

"And this can't wait." She'd mocked, throwing his earlier words back.

"Honestly, it can't. Otherwise there's no way in hell you'd be able to keep me out of your little girls' night."

"I guess not, but if you mess around and don't get back in time…" She'd growled her displeasure at the very idea of it,

"What…I'm curious what happens were I to be even a few seconds late."

"Well, then Basshole. The New Year would've started without you and I'd have to find someone else for my kiss. I'm sure that there'd be no lack in volunteers."

"Try it."

"Try me." They'd stood toe-to-toe, Blair's back flush up against the wall and Chuck's hands planted flat on either side of her, closing her in.

"It's a moot point. I'll be back in time."

"So, what? Am I pushing back my release from this place?"

"Not a chance. The jet's fueled and ready to go. G4, Blair, I'll be back before you know it."

"I don't want you to go." She'd admitted and then motioned to the room, "and I definitely don't want to be in this damn hospital, even one more moment than absolutely necessary."

"You won't. You have my word."

"But…"

"You'll be out of here before midnight. Granted not the early morning departure that you might have preferred, but still. Late afternoon. Evening at the latest." Which actually worked very well with what he'd had planned for tomorrow night anyway. Chambers had finally stopped dragging his feet. Everything was working out like it was supposed to.

Now he wondered about what was to happen next. Did he want to find Georgina in the sanitarium, because if she wasn't there, then who else could be Olivia George? Problem solved. Then it would just be finding the crazy bitch. Damn right, he wanted it to be her. A face for the threat against his business and his family.

But what was the connection to the Franklins. Had she somehow found out about his father's past sins? Information was power, a sentiment that Chuck learned at Bart's knee. Whoregina might have a few screws loose but she could never be called stupid.

It was her. He knew it. He felt it.

Revenge, Chuck understood well, but there was a whole different level of crazy on top of that when dealing with Georgina. During their previous encounters, she'd played her little games and offered little opposition in her removal but this times the stakes had been upped. She'd shot Blair full of McCarty's fucking science experiment, even with the possible outcome being Blair's body rejecting it and going into full cardiac arrest.

That thought spurred him into making the call that he'd put off for long enough already.

Joseph answered almost immediately, "Talk to me."

"It's Chuck Bass."

"Mr B. Long time. I saw the good news." The big man said, "Was definitely glad to hear about your lady. Used to see her in that hospital room just sleeping like she'd wake up any minute."

Chuck nodded, silently. Those same times all too clear and recent in his own memory.

"So I take it this isn't a social call. What can I do for you?"

"Do you remember what you told me that last day? Well, I've some things going on here and I could really use your expertise." Chuck revealed. "I need to call in that favor."

The big man answered without hesitation. "Tell me what you need."

"It's dangerous."

A chuckle met his words. "Like you said…my expertise. I'll need details."

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** Couldn't help myself. I beyond excited with all that's coming and the next chapter keeps going and going and going like that friggin pink bunny and I thought why not just post this part tonight. So what'd you think. Could you see Chuck out on a man-date with the boys or even Chambers. He gives in to B's demands and then hits her with Prague. After his little scare though finding her gone and danger lurking, he can't just leave her on her own now can he? Again I had an awesome time writing this chapter and plotting out what's coming next. Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you thought of this one. I will most definitely try to update within the next few days. I've possibly got Jury Duty which means *yay* no work and I can possibly get some work done on my Ipod while I sit in some office just waiting the day away...then again it's Jury Duty. *sigh*. Oh, well. Civic duty ;)

Courtneyஐ


	26. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow creeps at this petty pace…can't believe that thing is still in my head but it's all true. The ep is tomorrow and I can't wait. Can't believe it's really almost here. I'm just excited. So I have no words to introduce this one and I can't be held accountable for imperfect grammar. I'm giving it another look but my head is somewhere else, bbss. Thanks always for your words on the last chapter and hope you like this one. Love you all. Kisses to Wifey and my girls. SQUEE. :D…haven't seen it yet or heard any of the caps but God, I'm excited. *grouphug*.

* * *

**Chapter 25**

He'd known the man wouldn't say no. Joseph was just that way. A man of his word. Still hearing the words out loud momentarily relieved Chuck of the heavy burden weighing down on him. "I'm faxing the file to you now…and ugh thanks for this."

"No problem, man. You did me a good turn and nothing to do but return the favor." He said, "Besides, the way I see it…you and your lady got a raw fucking deal last time. If I can help, it's all good."

"Thanks, all the same. And trust me. You'll be amply compensated for the trouble." Chuck cut through Joseph's noises of protest.

"Never doubted it." the former Army Ranger cleared his throat, "When do you need me?"

"The sooner, the better. Details will be covered in the fax, but we can have a sit down after I get back in town."

"Cool." the buzz and whir could be heard in the background, and shuffling papers.

Chuck could almost picture the behemoth of a fax machine in Joseph's office. He couldn't believe the man hadn't gotten rid of the monstrosity. It wasn't as if he was hurting for money these days, the older man had gained a certain reputation and pretty much named his price. The former was why Chuck was calling him now. That and he was damn good at his job.

"So…how do you want it done?" He asked, "Under the radar or public spectacle."

"Definitely, the first. She can't see you and I don't want your presence presenting some irresistible challenge to this guy." Chuck admitted, "Just take care of her. She's going to be pretty much surrounded by people for the night and I already talked to Nate. You remember him, right."

"Your friend the cop."

"Yes," Chuck said, "He's promised to check in on her for me. I should be back stateside no later than early evening."

"Hmm,"

"What?"

"Didn't figure on you hightailing it out of town so damn fast. Trouble in paradise already? This about the mother?"

"No." Chuck finally tossed back the untouched scotch, gulping down liquid fire at once. His breath hissing out as he forsook the moment to savor. "Not even a little bit. Just some unfinished business with an old…acquaintance. Trust me, if it could've been avoided I most definitely wouldn't be flying out today."

"No doubt. So tell me, Bass. How's my former employer? She still hate your guts."

Mouth curled into a mirthless grin, "As much as ever I suppose, but we're both playing nice for B's sake. I'll send her your regards."

"You do that."

Chuck hung up with Blair's former bodyguard. One who'd been hired to "protect" her from _Chuck. _The last before Eleanor had tried to take Blair out of the city and ended up fighting both Chuck and Harold. The man, previously an Army Ranger, had gone on from working for Eleanor to having Chuck seed his private security firm.

She was going to be fine, Chuck told himself. He reminded himself of his own reassurances to Joseph. She wasn't alone. Not tonight and he'd made provisions for tomorrow. Sure, someone had gotten to her before but she'd been all but defenseless before, unconscious and lost to the word.

Blair wouldn't make an easy target for anyone this time around. That very thought, belief relieved many of his worries but he knew that he wouldn't… couldn't completely relax until he was back home again. Home with Blair and the twins.

~ஐ~

It was Cyrus' fault really, Eleanor decided as she plodded those final steps toward Blair's hospital room. By now she'd managed to find her balance, holding the sleeping bag under one arm and her burdens hanging from the other. She'd had left off with the sleeping bag and the thing was purely for appearance's sake, since she had no intention of sleeping in the thing. Her lovely, well-meaning and interfering husband had insisted that she go the extra mile after all but inviting herself to Blair's little get together.

Earlier on the telephone, her daughter had been chattering away, excited about her upcoming release from St. Vincent's. Eleanor was beyond thrilled, because it meant that this was truly real and that her little girl was back with a clean bill of health. So when Blair had started in about her plans for the evening with Serena, the twins, and _Lily; _the words had just popped out of her mouth.

"Room for one more?" She'd asked, silence on the other end making her fear that their connection had dropped. "Blair, darling. Are you still there?"

"I'm here." Blair had finally piped up, clearing her throat. "I didn't think you'd want to come. I'm sure that you have other things you'd rather be doing tonight."

"Are you saying that you don't want me to come?"

"Of course not. I mean—of course I'd like you to be there. It's just that in the past…"

"I was a fool and I want to make up for that now." She'd interrupted Blair's fumbling words. "So what time do you want me there? What can I bring?"

"Just yourself. S and Lily are taking care of the rest."

"Of course."

And so Eleanor had found herself spending the past few hours with Cyrus, looking for his old, "new" sleeping bag that he'd bought for a trip with his son that past summer but it'd gone unused when their plans fell through. He really need not have bothered with dragging the thing out. She wasn't really spending the night. Eleanor planned on sticking around until after the twins finally fell asleep.

She really should've spent the past few hours unpacking boxes and organizing her office/studio back at the apartment. As it was, Eleanor was going to have to slip away to check in with Laurel. She'd left her trusted employee in charge of her London fashion house but even with the Atlantic between them, Eleanor had every intention of being as hands on as possible.

There she stood now, like a fifty-something year old kid, instead of a woman grown. Feeling entirely too foolish as she stood there with that bulky, too slippery bundle under one arm and her bags clutched in the other. She'd brought along a few surprises for the twins, along with the pair of expensive silk pajamas that Cyrus had suggested she bring along.

Initially, Eleanor had offered resistance, arguing that she likely be back in their bed by midnight, if not earlier. She'd caved, though. Caved like a wet napkin after her dear husband, "innocently" mentioned the likelihood that _Lily _would probably be going all out, to make it seem more like a sleepover for the twins and Blair…then well, a sleepover in a hospital.

Eleanor still wasn't sure how her daughter had managed that one. Likely, young Charles had pulled a few strings. She'd say one thing for the boy, he was proving to be very dedicated when it came to Blair and the twins.

She'd been sure, five years ago that he'd grow bored with his ideas of "playing house" and run off to parts unknown as he was wont to do. That he'd leave Lily with the responsibility of raising Kat and Evie. He'd disappointed those expectations. And Blair? Coma for five years. No one would've faulted him for moving on, but, as far as she could discern through Cyrus and the social connections that hadn't been severed by her exile, Charles never did find anyone else.

Eleanor peeked through the panel of glass and was instantly glad that she'd decided to come. Despite herself, she felt resentment spurt to life. Her eyes honed in immediately on Lily, a twin flanked on either side of her and blonde hair pulled away from the delicate lines of her features.

There was no taking comfort in the fact that the woman looked absolutely silly, her manicured nails painted in shades of greens and yellows, while her hair was pulled back into lopsided pigtails. In pigtails for godsakes. Blonde hairs sticking out every which way, as if she'd done her hair without the benefit of a mirror or light. Or as if a certain pair of five-year-olds had been given free rein.

Her fingers literally itched with the need to smooth her own freshly trimmed cap of dark hair. She suddenly found herself wishing that hadn't treated herself with that visit to Bliss after flying in earlier in the day. Jetlag was going to hit soon enough and she wanted to be in her own bed back at the apartment when that happened.

Get on with it, she admonished herself and struggled with the bags in her hands and the door knob.

It was Serena who noticed her first, rescuing her from her fumbling attempts with the door. She abandoned her mother to the not so tender mercies of their granddaughters. The girls seemed to be holding their own, sizing up the playing cards they held clutched in their small hands and Lily's dwindling pile of pretzel sticks.

Lily flashed a quick smile in Eleanor's direction before she shoved the rest of her of her pretzels towards the center of the table, "All in. I'm feeling lucky. How about you, Evelyn? Katherine?"

The girls' eyes met, narrowed before turning back at once to watch Lily, their eyes falling cards in her hands, as if they looked hard enough, they could actually divine the unseen. Suddenly, Evie cocked her head and smiled at her twin, silently counting out the same number of pretzel sticks as Lily had, leaving Kat to do the same.

"Are you girls certain that you don't want to change your mind?" Lily's attention went back and forth between them, her own smile never faltering, tone unwavering.

"Nope." Evie shook her head.

"Uh-uh." Kat wiggled in her seat.

Eleanor dragged her eyes away from the spectacle that the threesome made, registering Kat's whoop in delight and Lily's long-suffering sigh. She caught sight of her own daughter, her rapt attention taking in the interaction between Serena's mother and the twins. There was something fleeting and familiar in Blair's expression before a smile obliterated any traces of the envy so obvious. Yet Eleanor picked up on it in those short moments, because she could feel the same burn seeping into her.

"Let me help you with those." Serena said, drawing Blair's attention to the new arrival.

"That's quite all right, Serena." Eleanor said, but the young blonde was already on her feet, grabbing the sleeping bag that Cyrus had tucked under her arm after securing the other bags in her hands. "Well, if you insist."

"Mom, you made it."

"Of course, darling. I said I would, did I not?" Eleanor looked away, busying herself with the bags she carried. All the while she true to forget all the times she'd broken her word, skipping one event or another that was important to Blair because of the company or some other engagement that had weighed in as more important.

Eyes brimming to overflow with curiosity, Blair stared pointedly at the garment bag Eleanor carried over one arm. "Um, did you change your mind about spending the night because If so, you know it's just tonight not a month.

"Just some fabrics and things that I brought back with me. For the girls." She explained.

The change in Blair's expression was slight and she would've missed it earlier if she hadn't been paying attention. The smile that no longer reached her eyes, something guarded as she studied Eleanor.

Unbidden, her conversation with Charles from weeks before came to mind. His words, accusations of criticizing Blair size and dress in the past and in the same breath, offering a deadly warning not to try doing the same with _his _children. Obviously, her daughter shared Charles worries in this respect.

Some of her earlier elation fled as she realized just how Blair must have seen her over the years. Sad. Forget everything else it left her slightly depressed to realize what Blair must think of her as a mother.

Blair looked away from her mother, as Serena's little boy clamored for the younger woman's attention. He was settled back, his blonde head resting against Blair's chest, "You go now," he ordered, motioned to the matching cardboard pieces spread across the hospital bed.

"You win, Alex." Blair pressed a kiss to his head, the twosome having obviously made inroads since last Eleanor had seen her daughter trying to cajole the recalcitrant child from behind his mother's legs. "Flip them over, baby."

"Play again?" He murmured both in question and in demand.

"Okay. Flip them over."

Serena shook her head, "He's going to have you doing that all night."

"Well, we're having fun, aren't we Alex?" Blair smirked.

The boy nodded absently, his brow furrowed in deep concentration as he set about flipping the dozen or so pieces from his favored matching game.

Eleanor wandered closer and cleared her throat as she searched for a way to put Blair at ease. "I, uh, brought things from my studio. Nothing finished or meant for production. I seem to recall Dorota mentioning how much they enjoy playing dress-up. Raiding Charles closet…going through some of your old things."

"They do. It drives Chuck insane." Serena confirmed, "Not them going into your stuff, I mean. He's all for that."

"I'll bet." Blair rolled her eyes, but no fire behind her words.

"Girls, lets take a break so we can see what your Grandma Eleanor brought." Lily suggested.

"Mom, you really didn't have to bring anything."

"I wanted to. Besides, Cyrus got caught up in the romance of it all and I couldn't resist letting him go crazy helping me get ready." She settled into the empty chair at Blair's bedside, finally relieving herself of the bags in her hands.

"Did you bring your PJs?" Kat came to stand at her side.

"Actually, I did." Thank you, Cyrus.

Evie reached for her hand, fully prepared to tug with all of her might, until Eleanor was on her feet again. "You have to change and then Mommy says we can watch a movie and have popcorn."

"That reminds me." Eleanor smiled, some of her earlier happiness returning as she thought of a way to distract her daughter from worries and bad memories. She reached inside for box of freshly baked goodies, that she'd stopped for along the way.

"Oh, what's that?" Evie asked.

"Just some treats that I thought we could enjoy after the movie starts." Eleanor said, handing the box off to Blair. "I brought some of your old favorites and…" She reached inside the bag again for the two movies that she and Cyrus had watched after a quick phone call to Dorota to find a movie the twins might like.

She pulled out _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory _and _Princess Bride. _She vaguely recalled watching bits of the former with Blair a very, very long time ago. She'd been distracted and in no mood to watch a grown man cavorting and singing nonsense. Watching both movies, back at the apartment with Cyrus in preparation for tonight, she'd found herself laughing out loud to scenes that had previously garnered her disgust. Now she was realizing yet another missed opportunity.

Eleanor felt like cheering inside when she caught sight of her daughter's expression. The younger woman rubbing her hands in anticipation as she took the movies from her mother's hands. "Oh, we're definitely watching these."

She allowed herself a silent "yippee," and even the sight of the twins crowding around Lily again could do little to dim her mood. Besides the girls were helping to clear away the remains of their card games. Lily made room for their snacks, dumping a bag of organic popcorn into a bowl and moaning in delight when she caught sight of the desserts, pulling out a bag of organic popcorn and dumping it into a large bowl and moaning in delight as she caught sight of the desserts inside the white bakery box.

"Oh, that's going to cost a few hours or twelve on the treadmill." She lifted out one especially decadent tart. There were tarts, chocolate covered strawberries, miniature cakes, and shotglass desserts.

Eleanor had asked for a bit of everything, having forgotten to ask Dorota which treats the children favored. She'd decided to chance it. Couldn't go very wrong when it came to children and sweets. They'd love it either way.

"Eleanor, hurry and change. I'll put the movie in." Lily said, reaching not for the two that Eleanor had brought but one that had been sitting on the bedside table. "We'd already voted on this one before you arrived. The twins are currently stuck on it and insist on watching it first."

Blair's mother frown, her mind flickering with memory as she remembered the girls mentioning some movie or another that they'd just watched again and again on Christmas Eve. The one with the boy and a toy-gun. She wasn't all that sure that it was appropriate for the twins or little Alex. "The Christmas movie…with that little boy."

Lily stared blankly, "Actually…"

"The Christmas Story…with the boy."

Understanding dawned, Lily shook her head, "Oh, no. A Christmas Story. No, they get their fill of that once a year. This one's a fairly new development. Right, girls." She held up the DVD case so that Eleanor could see the cover with Rick Moranis facing off with a rather large…plant with teeth? "Evie promises not to sing…loudly, isn't that right, darling?"

"Yes, cause then our sleepover would have to end." Evie nodded, immediately.

Blair smiled her approval, "And we do not want that to happen. We're going to have a great time. It's going to be absolutely perfect. As soon as, your grandmother changes."

Laughing, Eleanor grabbed for the bag with her pajamas, "I'm going. I'm going. God, so bossy. Makes me wonder where you came up with that delightful trait."

"Aw, Mother. Check out the mirror while you're in there and mystery solved."

"You'd better be nice to your mother, Blair." Lily teased. "You've got a double dose of anything you put out…sitting right there." She glanced back from the DVD player, waving a hand in Kat and Evie's direction.

Distracted, Alex was trying to climb down from the bed to see what in the white box had captured his cousins' attention, while Serena plucked out a strawberry for herself.

Happy. Earlier, she'd been worried about forcing her way into this little gathering and now Eleanor was beyond happy that she had. She recalled her daughter's prediction from moments before. She'd said that the night was going to be perfect. For Eleanor, it already was.

~ஐ~

Dan and Nate arrived back in New York, the sky dark with coming night and street crowded with people who wanted to celebrate and began the festivities one night earlier. The train station was packed with people, both coming and going, trying to reach their final destination for New Year's Eve.

The two men went there separate ways only once they'd reached the cool, quiet hallways of St. Vincent's. Barely a word spoken between them. It seemed that they'd both had their fill of one another for one day. During the cab ride over, Nate had rest his head against cool glass, his eyes closed. He hadn't been tired really. More so weary of what Dan's idea of making small talk would be, given his recent stint as Dr. Phil-wannabe.

The blonde need not have worried, Dan seemed just as happy pretending that he was along in the backseat of the cab, tapping message after message.

Through squinted lids, Nate had watched, the glow from the LCD reflecting on glass, the phone cradled in Dan's palms. More than once, he heard Humphrey groan his frustration.

Nate walked away from the dark-haired reporter with a mumbled goodbye. The party in Blair's room was in full swing when Nate arrived, the twins' recent favorite flick on the screen, they sat between Eleanor and Lily, while Blair and Serena sat on the hospital bed with Alex the first casualty of the night.

He counted himself lucky and his promise to Chuck fulfilled when he was ejected from the "girls" night less than ten minutes later. He'd checked on Blair and the girls as promised. Nate figured that he should problem get back to the Palace and face the waiting phone message that he'd been avoiding for the better part of the day.

He hadn't exactly been lying when he'd told Dan that he'd left his cell back at the suite. It just wasn't all that accidental.

Nate had checked his messages that morning, the sound of Vanessa banging around in the kitchen and being home again making the events of weeks past seem surreal. The message from his attorney had hammered reality straight home, letting Nate know that he and his family had returned back to New York days ahead of schedule and that he was ready to get the paperwork started whenever Nate felt ready to give him the go ahead.

Divorce. He was actually getting a fucking divorce. It was unbelievable. One word that could sever so many ties. What the hell else was he supposed to do? The same voice, that had insisted he stick with status quo and leave before Vanessa woke up that morning, came back, incessant in it's overture to return his attorney's phone call. Get things started. Rip the band-aid away, as it was. Just as he had that morning, he'd ignored that voice, tossing the phone aside. Instead he'd gone into the next room, sitting down to breakfast as if all was right in their world.

He'd have been better off making the call because instead, he'd sat there just thinking about it. Barely taking in a word Vanessa said. Nate vaguely recalled her telling him about work and asking about the basketball game with the girls. Though he had perked up, focusing on her completely when she mentioned unearthing some old home movie with Kat and Chuck.

Something had loosened in his chest, when she'd told him about her visit to see Blair. He'd felt himself softening in his resolve in the face of her envy, that wistful tone in her voice as she spoke of Kat and Evie. Their mother newly returned to them.

It would be impossible for him not to see that she was thinking of the miscarriages and what they'd lost. His first instinct was had been to comfort his wife but she'd bitterly refused him the last few times he'd tried to offer comfort and commiserate on their shared loss.

Only then had he listened to that voice at the back of his mind that insisted he get the hell out of Dodge. He'd made his excuses and gotten the hell out of there. Remembering to grab his cell phone and coat at the last minute, actually opening the door, the chilly morning air prickling his skin in reminder of what he'd forgotten.

She didn't follow him from the kitchen or even say goodbye. Hadn't enough been said between them already? At least that was the same thought that had come to mind on the cab ride back to the Palace that morning, his cell phone, weighing like cement or cider bricks in his pocket. Then Serena had come along, delaying the inevitable with her "breakfast" with Dan and her sudden need for a Nate intervention. Then her partner-in-crime, Dr. Phil Jr. had decided they needed to take a "road trip" to visit the Franklin woman in Baltimore.

Now. Nate was back in New York and exactly where he'd began that morning. To call or not to call. He'd resolved that his marriage was over but did he really want it to be.

Decision time, Archibald, that stupid voice came away. Outside the hospital, Nate found himself in another cab, the driver waiting not so patiently for his destination.

"The Palace." He said, finally. "There's something I need pick up. Something I should've done earlier."

Nate sighed, decision made. Resolve firm. So why in the hell didn't he feel any better?

~ஐ~

It could've been hours or even minutes, Chuck felt as though he'd just stretched the bed only seconds before. His body heavy with fatigue, sending him reeling straightaway into sleep. Chuck groaned, eyes still shut and body froze, waiting for the sound to come again.

The phone. Was it the pilot calling back t o tell him that they'd be landing soon. Chuck threw his arm over his eyes at that prospect, could they really be landing that soon. He didn't move, one arm covering his face and the other clutching a pillow against his right side, as if he'd automatically reached out. His body missing what wasn't there. Who wasn't there.

Fuck he was tired. More exhausted than he'd realized and damned if he wasn't going to get hit with a double jolt of jetlag, a quick round trip just to reassure himself that Georgina was in the crazy house where she belonged.

The buzzing sound that had pulled him from sleep came again and vibrations that had nothing to do with the plane roused him further into wakefulness not the cockpit phone line. Chuck levered his body just to the side enough to grab the cell phone pressing into his side.

"Bass." He answered and was greeted with silence. "Hello? Who is this?" Chuck's eyes snapped open, his body suddenly on full alert.

He was on the verge of yanking the cell phone away from his ear so that he could indentify his mystery caller, but she spoke before he could glimpse her name on the Caller ID.

"It's me."

Two simple words, slipping through him, her voice striking him at his core. He laid back against the bed, his cell phone in one hand and arm still full of Egyptian cotton and downfeather. He forgot everything except her, his mind full. Her scent in his nostrils and the feel of her soft curves. He couldn't help smiling as he remembered waking her up that morning with ice cream and flowers, his name on her lips even as she slept. Dreaming of him.

He knew of her anxieties of being in the dark. After the coma and literally being blanketed in darkness for years, Chuck could appreciate her fears. Now and again, though, he'd wondered what she'd dreamed of during all that time.

"Missing me already, I see," he murmured, "Second thoughts on kicking me out of your bed."

Her retort came quickly, as if mere reflex than thought. "Sorry, Bass. Not even one."

"You, okay?" Chuck frowned, pressing the phone closer against his ear. "You sound distracted. Girls tire you out?"

"No." She said, her voice quiet and manner far more restrained than he would've expected after she'd finally gotten her way. "Kat and Evie were actually very well behaved. Even Alex was a sweetie. I think everyone had a really good time. Even with your henchmen popping up and intruding on our fun."

Chuck smiled, keeping his voice mile as he went into full denial mode, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course, you do."

"Sorry." He said as if he had no idea how or why his best friend would've ended up right in the middle of her girls' night. Not in the mood to be lectured about how he was being paranoid and all the reasons that she didn't need a babysitter, Chuck changed the subject. "What time is it there, anyway? Everybody still up?"

"Almost one. The girls conked out during their second viewing of _Willy Wonka. _Alex didn't make it through even half of _Princess Bride_."

"Shame. He missed my favorite part, then."

She laughed at that strand of tension in her voice falling away for the moment. "Your favorite part, huh? I couldn't get you to watch this when we were younger."

"Not true. You managed to slip that one by me. A few times." Chuck said, "Besides, I've matured. I can appreciate…"

"Buttercup's assets, I believe you mentioned…once or twice."

"How could I not after Wesley's speech on the shortage of perfect breasts." He shot back, only partly serious. "So did you have a good time? Eleanor show up?"

"Actually, she did." And there was that voice again. Sad. She sounded entirely too sad and he hated himself for being half a world away.

"What's wrong?" He asked, wondering just what in the hell had her mother done now? Blair'd seemed happy enough just a minute ago but then he'd brought up Eleanor and she sounded—defeated? Son-of-a-bitch. If _that_ woman fell back into nasty old habits and criticized Blair for even so much as a hangnail, he was going to make the last five years seem like a cakewalk.

"Nothing's wrong."

"Don't lie to me."

She laughed softly at that, bitterly. The sound coming out as if he scratched up her throat. "Horrible feeling being lied to, isn't it?"

"Dammit, Blair."

"She doesn't know them."

He went still, afraid to breathe. Worried about what she'd say next. What he'd need to say. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. She doesn't know them. I just sat in that room for the past few hours. Watching her with them. Them with Lily. She was trying…trying so hard, but it isn't real." Blair's words were so low that he had to strain to decipher them. She spoke almost to herself, sounding incredibly sad.

Dammit. He growled his frustration, wondering what new sin Eleanor had committed. "What happened?"

"You tell me."

~ஐ~

"Mr. Archibald, we're shutting done for the evening." The bartender wandered over as she wiped down the bar.

It wasn't actually evening anymore. Patrons and other hotel guests had come and gone throughout the night. Old friends laughing. Anonymous and not so anonymous hookups going on all around him. Kindred spirits. He'd watched it all, nursing ordered one drink after another, waiting for his mild buzz to give way to full blown oblivion.

He'd been happy enough for the distraction and goings on, sure that he would've been desperate enough to go looking for Humphrey to keep his mind off of the call that he still hadn't made. He hadn't even bothered to go up to his suite, heading instead, straight for the Palace bar.

"Just leave the bottle."

She shared a look with her co-worker, before complying with a jerky nod. "Yes, sir."

He reached for the bottle and refilled his own glass, as the two women left him alone. Nate smiled into his glass, sometimes the perks of having a best friend who owned half the city were innumerable. It wasn't five minutes later when he heard the light tread behind him, a throat clearing.

Humphrey. Shit. Bartender must've called the other man down to drag Nate's ass upstairs. Well, too bad. He wasn't in the mood to sit in his hotel suite and despite his earlier thoughts, he'd had more than enough of Dan for one day.

"Go away, Dan." Nate order, not even bothering to turn around.

"He's going. He just walked me down."

"Um, Vanessa, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." Dan said, the shuffling of his feet an audible thing. "The morning might be better. You go home and I'll take him up."

Nate looked around to see the two best friends sharing a meaningful glance.

"No, it's okay." Vanessa reassured the other man, "You should go."

Dan glanced between the estranged couple and for once seemed to be at a lost for words. He nodded jerkily.

Nate turned back and refilled his glass. He didn't speak until Dan's retreating footsteps faded away in the distance. "What are you doing here, Vanessa?"

Her voice came from over his right shoulder when she finally spoke, the phone that she held eye level was all too familiar. How in the hell had she gotten his phone? "You left it this morning."

"No, I didn't." Nate frowned, his mind spinning back to that morning. Had she broken into his goddamn room and taken it. But then again, why would she? Fuck. Had she heard the message from his lawyer? Was that why she'd come? To beg for another chance. Hadn't he already made his decision on that one, by coming here instead of going to her tonight. So what if he hadn't actually gone upstairs to return his attorney's phone call, but he'd decided already. Hadn't he?

"You took my phone." Vanessa sank down on the barstool at his side.

Identical phones. They'd actually mixed them up once or twice in the past. Him having to return home amidst early morning traffic after having made it to the station. "Good, thanks. You returned it. You can go."

"No, I can't."

"Vanessa, not tonight. I can't deal with you…with this disaster of a marriage tonight."

"I need to talk to you."

"There's nothing that you could say that I really want to hear right now."

She nodded, "You're right. You probably won't want to hear it. I've been trying to figure out how to say this to you for days. I know you'll probably hate me."

"I don't hate you. Now please just leave." Nate gulped down amber liquid, fire trailing down his throat, a distraction and comfort.

"No."

"Vanessa, get the hell out of here."

"Not until I…would you please look at me." She snatched the glass from his hands.

"What? Vanessa, what?" Nate did as she asked, glaring at her and already reaching for the tumbler gripped between her hands.

Vanessa drank the rest and slammed the empty glass on the bar top. "I slept with him."

"Great. Thanks for the update. You and your boyfriend went at it again." Nate laughed, his sardonic, covering up as he bled inside. "Why don't we toast the occasion? Think I'll have a clean glass if you don't mind, though."

"That's not…" She dragged in a deep breath, watching as he slipped from the barstool at her side and wandered behind the bar, unsteady on his feet. "I didn't mean tonight. I meant before. The night of the fire and after."

Nate didn't say anything, he felt numb, his feet wooden and movements stiff as he filled a glass for them both. "Are you done?"

"I need you to know that I broke things off with him, though. I'm not in love with him…things just happened."

"Yes, multiple times as you pointed out a few seconds ago." Nate said, his conversation with Serena and Dan coming back to him suddenly. "What the hell is this? Am I supposed to say that I forgive you now?"

"No."

"Good, because I don't. Now get the hell out of here."

"I'm not done," he shrugged, "Well, I'm sorry if I'm not entertained by the details of your affair. Do me a favor, though, tell your good friend Dan that I listened like a good little boy. Maybe then he and Serena will stop harping on me about it."

"It was Carter."

Nate stared at her, uncomprehending. Three words spoken and their meaning lost on him. Carter. It was Carter. Serena's Carter? What in the hell was she bringing that jackass into their conversation for?

"I didn't mean for it to happen. Not with him."

There. She'd said it. Said it plan enough that he couldn't ignore the implications. Carter. She'd cheated on him with Carter fucking Baizen. Drink in hand, he toasted the final nail in the coffin of their marriage, "Cheers"

"That's all you have to say?"

Nate tipped his head thoughtfully, "Hmm, yea. I think so."

"Nate."

"Get out of here, Vanessa."

"No!!"

Hands fisted, he leaned in against the bar directly across from her. "I don't forgive you. Okay?"

"Nate…"

"I didn't think I could, but right now I fucking hate your guts. I really do and honestly, I'm scared out of my mind what I'll do if I have to look at you for another second…so please go."

His quiet words seethed with every bit of his anger and loathing. Barely restrained, his knuckles bloodless and hands quaking.

Vanessa couldn't help flinching and looking away from him. So different from her Nate. The man she'd loved and married. She held on to the sweet, adoring husband who she'd twisted up into the angry stranger who looked at her with such hate. She steeled herself and met his eyes. "No. Talk to me." Tears slid down her cheeks.

He bowed his head, expelling a harsh breath.

She reached out covering his fisted hand with her own.

Nate reacted immediately, head jerking backward as if she'd hit him. He gripping her offending hand.

"Let go. You're hurting me." Vanessa cried out, which only seemed to make him squeeze harder.

"Glad to return the favor." Despite his words, Nate loosened his biting grip but didn't let go. Instead he pulled until she was leaning across the bar. Nate leaned in, the faces bare inches apart. "Don't put your hands on me again? Don't come looking for me? Our marriage is over."

"I understand."

"No. I don't think you do, but you will." Nate promised before shoving her away from him. Either he pushed with more force than intended or she was just distracted and off-balance enough that she fell backward, falling off of the stool and to the floor.

"I'm sorry. If nothing else please trust…"

Nate laughed, a new drink in hand. "Wait. Trust you? Is that what you were going to say?"

"It's not what you need to hear right now. I know that, but I have to say and maybe one day…"

Scotch and ice went airborne, glass shattering as he swept the bar clear of bottle and tumblers. "Do I need to call hotel security? I'm a guest and in case you've forgotten, my best friend owns the place." Yet another perk, he smiled darkly. Booting the soon-to-be ex out on her cheating ass. "Better yet. Why don't I get my attorney on the line? How long do you think it'd take him to drum up a restraining order? Maybe Grandfather could call in a few favors."

"I'll go, but please. Don't stay down here like this. Let me call Dan…"

He shook his head, "Better not. You really don't want your best friend anywhere near me, right now. Poor guy doesn't need another trip to the ER this soon, wouldn't you say?" Nate reached for the cell phone that she'd left on the bar, "What's it going to be? Am I waking up my grandfather…or are you going to get the hell away from me."

"I'm leaving." She picked herself up. "But you've had enough tonight. Just go upstairs and get some rest or something. Please, Nate."

Instead he turned his back on her, surveying the bottles lining the walls. Nate grabbed a new tumbler and filled it with ice. Ignoring her as if she no longer existed for him, Nate poured himself another drink.

~ஐ~

Blair waited, body curled beneath her as she sat on the closed lid of the toilet. She'd locked herself away, though she wasn't sure why. Serena was dead to the world, sleeping beside her son on Chuck's unused cot, while the twins were fast asleep in Blair's hospital bed. Her mother and Lily had gone home to their own beds already. There was simply no one to listen in on Blair's whispered conversation with her children's father.

"Chuck, please. Tell me what happened. Help me make sense of what I saw tonight…what's been going on since I woke up." She asked. After hours of watching her mother twins and her slips, mentioning calling Dorota, the bits and pieces had started to come together.

The fact that she'd been ignorant of Kat's allergy to macadamia nuts when she brought those cookies with the white chocolate. It'd been Dorota who'd averted disaster that day, as well. Blair hadn't been paying attention, too busy logging that piece of information away for her own personal, future knowledge. She'd made nothing of her mother's shared look with Dorota that day. Now tonight, her mother brought two of the girls' favorite movies, _Princess Bride _and _Willy Wonka. _The latter, an older and Johnny Depp-free version that the girls had actually never seen before but enjoyed nonetheless.

It'd all been little things that alone meant nothing but made the truth all too obvious when she realized just what she was seeing. And how obvious had her mother been, shooting those envious glances whenever Lily shared a close moment with the twins or even Alex.

Blair knew that look well, she understood it quite personally. She felt it when it came to seeing her children enjoying a close relationship that she herself was just becoming secure in.

"Bass, are you still there?" She asked without fire or accusation. Blair was tired. Yet another truth coming to slap her in the face.

"I'm here, Waldorf."

"Talk to me. Tell me I'm wrong…that the girls are as close to my mother as they are with Lily…with Roman and my father."

"I'm sorry, baby." Chuck finally said, "I can't do that. Not unless you want me to lie again and say that the past five years without you was straight out of a fucking Norman Rockwell painting."

The wind deflated right out of her. Blair didn't have a clue how much she'd been hoping he'd counter her words until he confirmed them instead. "How? I don't understand. I mean I know that she didn't want me to keep them before but Chuck…it's been so long."

"I know."

A sudden thought came to mind, some way to explain…defend her mother's absence. "You didn't do this, did you? You didn't keep her away."

"No. Of course not." Chuck said, "This is what she chose, but I—I did have a hand in her leaving New York."

Blair remembered something else. "Your investment in Jenny's designs. They could barely stand being in the same room with one another."

He didn't say anything, only let her work through it.

"You destroyed my mother's career."

"Yes," he hissed, waiting for the immediate backlash but it didn't come.

"How? Why?" She demanded, quietly. "What was this game that you've all been playing at since I woke up of big, happy family? You said that you wouldn't keep me in the dark anymore."

"It wasn't a game, Blair. Your mother wanted nothing to do with them, but then a few weeks ago she got in touch with me. Eleanor and I haven't been on the best of terms for reasons you now know well, but I guess Dorota's been keeping her in the loop. Sending her pictures through Cyrus until she was ready. She told me that she wanted to meet the girls."

"Weeks. A few weeks." Blair was beyond tears and tirades. Another reminder that even Dorota had known and gone along with keeping the truth from her. "I see."

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"No."

"I hate this." Chuck cursed, "This trip was a bad idea. Bad timing. I shouldn't have left you alone…"

"You think that's the _big _problem." She swiped at hot tears that finally slipped free, "Not even close. I want the rest."

"What?"

"You heard me. I told you before that I wanted to know everything. I wasn't joking, Chuck. Don't think you're protecting me here either." Her laughter was without humor, "Because that's just going to drive me crazy and you don't want me pissed off at you right now, Bass."

"Well, when you put it like that."

"I'm not joking."

"I know." Chuck acknowledged, soberly. "You sure. It's not pretty. No fairytale happy endings."

"I don't care. Just tell me."

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

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A/N:

And there is it and hopefully I can get home early tomorrow to post the next, which is just about ready to go…but it might happen after the episode. :D Okay so the rundown. Certain truths were revealed. Blair is beginning to understand what the past five years have really been like between Chuck and her mother. Her lack of a relationship with the twins. Nate knows about Carter. And B has her own personal bodyguard. The next chapter will be coming to you, just need to do some tweeking. Hope you enjoyed this one. As always let me know what you're thinking. And *snoopydance* the finale is TOMORROW *woot*. Here we go :D

Courtneyஐ


	27. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** *screams* Less than 30 minutes until showtime…Forgive me for any mistakes I might have missed. I can't think straight…it's been the same all day. Wanted to get this baby posted for you guys. Hope you like it :D and I'll just leave you with that :D. Kisses to Wifey and my girls. SQUEE. I'm seriously just bouncing off the walls here…can't wait.

* * *

**Chapter 26**

On a normal day, nothing could've possessed him to switch off with Blair, even for a few moments in favor of talking to Dan Humphrey. He didn't give her a chance to demand any further answers from him.

Rather than thanking the other man for buying him some time, he growled a sour greeting to the former Brooklynite. "What do you want, Humphrey? Now's not the best time."

Dan jumped right in, "Sorry, but I just thought you'd like to know that your best friend was being arrested for trashing your bar...well the hotel's bar but still…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Chuck interrupted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What do you mean arrested."

"Exactly what I said." Dan clarified, or tried at least. "Look, Vanessa just told him that about her and Carter."

"You're not making any sense." Chuck drawled, but even as he spoke he was very sure that he understood. Vanessa and Carter? Not the likeliest of combinations. His mind immediately spun, trying to figure out angle in it all. "Who called the police?"

"Some of the other guests. They saw what he was doing and had the front desk call it in."

"My employees called in the police?" The wheels were already spinning in Chuck's mind, trying to figure out what the hell his best friend had gotten himself into this time and what means he'd need to employ to get him out of it.

"They didn't see who it was...not until the cops were already here. Your people are telling them it's fine but they—the boys in blue, want to take him in for drunken, disorderly and destruction of private property.

"Give me a minute," Chuck cursed vehemently. He switched back over to Blair and hoped his next words didn't sound as if he were merely delaying the inevitable. "Waldorf, we can't have this conversation right now. Not with me flying halfway around the world."

"That bad, huh?"

Chuck hated that he wasn't there with her now. Loathed Eleanor for what she'd set in motion five years ago. A new way for Chuck Bass to break her daughter's heart, as if he didn't have more than enough expertise on his own. "Yes"

"Why wait? Just tell me now."

Chuck shook his head, "No. Tomorrow when I get back we'll have it out, but do me a favor and refrain confronting your mother until I get back."

"I shouldn't have made you go," she said, quietly.

"Waldorf." Chuck tried again.

She nodded slowly, as if he could see her curled into herself, like some defeated creature. Blair pictured herself from the outside and was glad he wasn't there. She was stronger than this.

Blair Waldorf wasn't some little girl sitting around waiting for her mother to remember to love her. Hell, Blair was the mother this time around, if not for herself than at least she needed to do better for the twins' sake.

"I'm not hanging up until you promise me that you won't say a word to Eleanor. Not until I get back at least."

"I won't." she lied.

"Good. I need to go. We'll talk in the morning?"

"Of course." Blair frowned, listening to the sound of rustling on the other end. "Who was that on the other line?"

"Brooklyn." Chuck said, "Apparently, Nathaniel hasn't had the best of nights, either."

"What…hmm. Vanessa must've told him about Carter. Is he okay?"

"Depends on your definition of 'okay'. He's drunk off his ass and about to be arrested. So I wouldn't consider him so well off at the moment." Chuck backtracked, "So wait…you knew about the Carter thing?"

"Serena told me. _She_ apparently knows better to keep secrets from me."

He sighed, silent for one aching moment, "I'm sorry, Waldorf. I can only say it so many ways."

"And it's enough. Besides, you're not the one who owes me an explanation." Blair felt her face burn as she thought of her mother. How many times had the woman just stood there while Blair sounded her praises to the world for "being there for Chuck"?

People must've known the truth. Hell, Chuck had admitted to driving her out of New York. The truth had to be nothing short of common knowledge.

Then again neither Penelope nor Nelly had taken great pleasure in giving her all of the gory details.

"Go take care of things for Nate. I'll be fine. Just try not to get stuck over there."

Chuck promised. Again, "You have my word. Now, go get some rest. Crazy day ahead for all of us tomorrow."

The twosome said there goodnights but Blair didn't move even after hanging up. Instead she sat there wondering just what she was supposed to do about her mother. Chuck wanted her to wait but Blair wanted—needed answers now.

The hurt sank into her below the surface of her anger and sense of betrayal. Blair found herself embracing the harsh fires of those latter emotions, taking comfort in them. Dragging in deep breaths, she didn't move. Couldn't have if she'd tried. She sat there in that spot until her wayward emotions were back firmly under her control. Donning the cool veneer that had protected her in times such as these over the years.

She left the bathroom, surprised to find her best friend wide-awake. "I thought you were sleeping."

Serena shook her golden head, sitting up with Alex cradled at her side. "No. Just a catnap. You woke me up when you went closeted yourself in the bathroom… hmm, I wonder who you could have been calling. Could it have been, I don't know a certain relation of mine."

The blonde's teasing smile fell away as she gauged her best friend's expression.

"B, what's wrong?"

"Everything." Blair stared down at her best friend.

"What happened?"

"What hasn't happened, S. " Blair quizzed bitterly, she motioned violently towards the clock on the wall, which did indeed show it to be well after midnight, "Chuck's on his way to Prague on New Year's Eve. Nate's getting arrested. As we speak."

"What? Why?" Serena kept her voice at a fierce whisper. She hissed her disdain. "Vanessa."

"Exactly."

"What did Chuck say happened"

Not much of anything, Blair frowned again wondering what details he'd left out concerning Nate's current dilemma and earlier about her mother. "No burning details. He said something about your favorite ghost of boyfriend's past, calling him."

"Carter?"

Blair rolled her eyes, "Please. I'm still having a hard enough time dealing with the idea of you and Carter Baizen procreating, let alone doing something as subdued as tackling coupledom."

"B, would you focus." Serena said, "So Dan contacted Chuck. We could call him now and find out what happened. Could you grab my phone?"

Blair was halfway across the room, reaching for the charging cell phone when she turned back, get empty hands held aloft.

"It's right over there, B. You couldn't have missed it."

"I didn't." the brunette came to stand before her best friend, . "I know it's just that there are a few things...questions that I need answered."

The blonde fidgeted beneath her best friend's scrutiny. "About what?" she tittered nervously, glancing away from Blair after a moment.

"Same question as always and no dancing around the truth this time. I want all of it. What happened between Chuck and my mother?" Blair demanded.

"Um, maybe you should be talking to Chuck about this."

"He wants me to wait until he gets back."

"Good idea." Serena nodded.

Blair cocked a brow, waiting but Serena was looking everywhere except in Blair's direction. Time stretched, pulling at the brunette nerves until she finally threw up her hands. Serena's expression spelled out her own relief quite loudly, her shoulders sagging under the weigh being lifted off. That feeling proved short-lived, as Blair turned away, reaching for her new uniform of blue jeans and a blouse.

"What are you doing?"

"You won't tell me anything. Chuck's not here. I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea to go straight to the source."

"Blair, you can't just leave like that." Serena called out, forgetting at first to temper her tone. She gently maneuvered herself away from her son's dozing form, "B, you haven't even been released yet."

"No. Not officially...I shouldn't be gone long enough for it to make a huge difference." Blair slipped on another pair of flats.

"Would you just stop it. Wait until morning."

"No."

"Blair, be reasonable. What are you going to do? Walk...because I'm not giving you cab fare."

That stopped Blair, but only a split second before she made a beeline for her cell phone. "Fine, I'll call Arthur."

Serena let her tap out five digits before she gave in. "Dammit, Blair. You win."

"You'll tell me what I want to know?

Serena didn't answer still looking torn.

"Serena!" Blair said, eyes slitting in warning. She dialed out the rest of the telephone number and held her thumb poised over the send button.

"Come sit here. Just give me a minute." she scooped Alex into her arms, automatically nuzzling his neck and drinking in that baby smell.

Wordlessly, Blair put the phone away and settled down in the spot that her friend had just vacated.

Minutes dragged as Serena settled the toddler in between his sleeping cousins, re-checking to make sure that the side rails were locked firmly in place. Then she started re-tucking the blankets around the three children. Only when Serena cycled through the routine a third time does Blair call her on it.

"And now you're just stalling, van der Woodsen."

"Maybe because I happen to think that this is a supremely bad idea, Blair." Serena reluctantly came back to sit with her friend.

"And yet here we are. Start talking."

"Where do you want me to start?"

"The beginning would be nice, S. For starters, at any rate."

"Fine, but don't say that I didn't warn you. It's not pretty."

--

_  
July 2009_

Eric stepped off of the elevator and almost tripped over a box blocking his path, he tried bypassing it and ended up bumping into another. He tried to get a look at the side to see just in the world Blair had ordered now, but he saw nothing beyond the word "Fragile" stamped n the side. Not a Bergdorf's, Barney's, or FAO Swartz logo in sight.

He found his mother and Serena in the living room sifting through one of the open boxes. He saw blankets and baby clothes and knew immediately that he'd been right about his earlier assessment of the avalanche of boxes he'd returned home to. Eric glanced at the coffee table and saw three wine glasses, a half empty wine bottle and Blair's pomegranate juice. He didn't have to look beyond the old albums spread all over bit of the coffee table to know just what they'd been up to during his absence.

Serena spotted him first, "Eric."

"Darling, what are you doing home so soon? Was the movie that bad?"

"I wouldn't know. I couldn't get my date to shut up long enough for me to enjoy it."

"Eric, that's a horrible thing to say."

"Mom, Richard talked nonstop through dinner and then the previews. I thought he'd stop once the actual movie started but no such luck. I was forced to do something that I'm not particularly proud of."

His mother and sister were expectant in their silence.

"Well don't keep us on suspense." Lily prompted. "Did you tell him he was being a…"

"Pompous jackass." Serena supplied, helpfully.

Eric smiled, shaking his head.

"Oh my god." Serena laughed suddenly, "Eric, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

Lily looked between her children. Trying to decipher the cryptic turn in their exchange. "Well for godsakes, what?"

"Do you think he's still there?" Serena wondered.

"Oh, I'd say it's a safe bet. He's definitely probably still there, talking to himself…about himself."

"Oh." Understanding dawned and Lily tried not to smile, her chin wobbling with the effort. "Darling, why didn't you just say something to him and where was Jenny...I thought this was a double date."

"She had a family emergency."

"Oh no. I hope it was nothing serious." Lily said, her expression distracted as she pretended sudden, renewed interest in the photo album splayed across her lap. "Did she tell you anything?"

"Actually, she told us that her sister…_Danielle_ had gone into labor and she needed to fly right out to be with 'him, er her'."

Both blondes looked at him in disbelief and then at one another. Suddenly the room erupted with their breathless, hysterical laughter.

"Oh, dear. I take it that her date was no prize, either."

"Yea, not so much." Eric made a face in response and glanced over at the photo albums, "So what's with all of this stuff? Reminiscing? You do know that Serena's only moving a few hours away and not to Alaska, right?"

"I had an inkling." Lily pulled him down beside her on the sofa, "no really we're just all looking through this stuff with Blair..."

"We were trying to keep her too distracted to be a pain in the..."

"Be nice."

"I was." Serena told their mother. It was no secret that with each day that passed without a word from Eleanor or Chuck...the moodier and therefore bitchier Blair became.

"Don't be like that. Whether eighteen or forty, this can be a very trying time in a woman's life. Yes she's more demanding than usual. Years and years from now you'll understand and be able to slip in a little payback."

"Mom, you can say it. Blair's a bitch. She revels in the title...hey who's this? Is this Chuck?" Eric finally got a closer look at the photo albums stacked in the open box between Lily and Serena.

"Yes. As I informed you both weeks ago, the renovation of the Bass villa in Tuscany is underway and the overseer found boxes of old albums and things from Chuck's nursery."

We were sorting through them earlier with Blair, see if there was anything here that she wants to keep for the babies." His sister scooped up a thick blanket, colored in the richest of cream and shot of gold threaded through, the prominent initials CBB were painstakingly stitched with the same golden thread. Serena brought the material to her face and breathed in. She promptly yanked it away, wrinkling her nose. "This goes out for cleaning, too."

"Wow, check out Chuck's mom and Bart," Eric lifted out a candid shot of His brother's dead parents. Eric recognized the exotic beauty, features soft and fuller as she regarded a very relaxed Bart Bass with a teasing smile. Bart had eyes only for her swollen belly, that not quite a smile alive for seconds enough to be captured on film. "Where's General Waldorf?"

"She decided to turn in early." Lily covered a yawn. "I suppose, I'm not very far behind her. Serena what do you say we pick this up in the morning and that way Blair can let us know what she wants to hold on to "

"Sounds like a plan."

"Good, good. In the meantime, Gertrude can see what she can do about that blanket and the christening gown." Their mother stood slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I think B already bought two of those." Serena glanced at the christening gown in question.

"Whatever Blair doesn't need, we can have cleaned and stored until Chuck is found and brought home." the threesome glanced sadly.

It seemed the courtship had lasted longer than the marriage itself but in that time both Bart and Chuck managed to carve out places in the van der Woodsen family that now felt gapping and emptiness of their absence. Lily frowned remembering her final moments with Bart and her harsh words for the manchild shed come to consider one of her own even before she and Bart signed adoption papers or even before that June afternoon when he slid the wedding band on her finger and made them a family.

" Mom, are you okay?"

Lily managed a small smile, hugging her own baby close. "Just fine, honey." She lied trying not to think about the extent of the damage done. For once. Lily had been fully confident that she was getting things right this time as a mother to Serena, Eric, and Chuck. Her false starts firmly in the past but then she'd feel the phantom sting of her palm striking out, flesh against flesh. All the times, she'd wanted to throttle her daughter for her wild ways, she'd never actually done it. And yet she'd struck Bart's son, her child on the day they buried his father.

It wasn't a question of her own guilt and making amends when the girl sleeping upstairs had arrived weeks before. Yes, Lily wanted to do right by Chuck and take care of Blair and their unborn children when he couldn't. But it was Blair, her expression pallid, manner as is she'd been dealt the worst of blows.

Lily hadn't understood the extent of the situation until Dorota showed up with luggage on tow for her "Miss Blair" and Cyrus called not long after to be sure that hid stepdaughter was with the van der Bass family. Blair and Serena were sisters in all except blood, and the girl's situation hit home just a little too close for comfort. Eleanor's entire attitude a little to reminiscent of her own mother's.

Eleanor would come around, Lily only wished...no, life would've been too changed had she defied Cece and kept her firstborn No Serena or Eric. No Bart or Chuck. A completely different life. No, no she'd done the right thing for herself and that baby. Knowing that didn't stop the ebb and flow of regrets or whatifs. Never had. Blair had chosen differently and Lily fully intended to offer the support Eleanor refused.

"You can head up...between me and Eric I think we can get through this last box until morning." Serena said.

Lily reached for the framed pictured, angling from Eric's fingers, "May I?"

Eric handed it over without a word and settled on the spit she'd vacated. He and Serena watched as she carried the photo of Chuck's parents to the mantel.

"For when he gets home. "Lily's finger tips skimmed across the glass, caressing Bart's cheek and resting on Evelyn's swollen belly. A sad smile curved her mouth, she bid Eric and Serena goodnight and headed up to her room. She poked her head briefly into the dark recesses of Chuck's room and listened for the sound of Blair's even breathing.

At first she heard nothing and wondered of Blair was in Serena's room.  
Lily pushed the door inward, no longer blocking the slender cone of light seeping in through the crack in the doorway. Almost immediately she spotted the blankets that'd been shoved to the floor and she saw Blair lying on her side in the middle of the bed. She was curled into herself with her back facing the gaping doorway.

"Blair, sweetheart." Lily whispered, tipping close to the bed.

The girl moaned, her body quavering.

Lily reached immediately for the discarded blankets and wrapped them about Blair's slumbering form as she'd never been able or rather around to do for Serena and Eric when they were younger.

"Hot." Blair murmured in her sleep, immediately kicking them away. Again, her body trembled covered only in her nightgown, gooseflesh pimpling her exposed arms.

Lily tried again, carefully arranging blankets and met with the same results only this time Blair's lashes slitted open and for a brief moment, unfocused brown eyes were skimming across Lily's face. The girl sighed sleepily, her eyelids seemingly to heavy to be burdened with wakefulness.

"Blair, honey."

The girl mumbled unintelligibly, shoving away the heaviest of the blankets. "Too hot."

Brow furrowed, Lily didn't renew her previous efforts. Instead, she tested Blair's forehead and found no sign of fever. Fully intended to adjust the thermostat, she started to pull away, only Blair's hand shot out, fingers forming a bracelet about Lily's wrist.

"Blair, what…" Lily sputtered, glancing over to the sleeping girl, eye's still hidden behind bruised eyelids.

"Don't go."

"Honey, are you wake?"

"Please," Blair shivered. "Don't go."

"Okay. I'm not going anywhere."

--

_Present Day_

Blair squirmed, listening as Serena took her at her word and started at the beginning of it all. More than once Blair had to stop herself from interrupting. She had the vaguest recollections of everything that had happened once she'd left Serena and Lily to finish unpacking the boxes from Tuscany.

She remembered being tired but resisting the need to lay down as much as she could until she felt so dizzy that her eyes crossed with. Blair didn't remember, Lily coming upstairs. She didn't remember, begging her to stay. Not to leave her alone. Blair listened intently, trying to pull the pieces of vague memory together and line things up with what Serena was saying.

"It must have been a few hours. I remember going into my room and falling asleep watching reruns of the _Closer._" Serena told her_,_ eyes troubled and words edged in remembered panic. "When I woke up and everything was happening…I was half-asleep and I was so sure that it was the television instead of my mom, calling out. It didn't click at first. Why would she need an ambulance? Then it all started to sink in and I was on my and in Chuck's room so fast. B, I don't remember ever feeling so…terrified in my life. I kept thinking about when you blacked out at the park. You'd talked me into going to feed those stupid ducks…"

"Hey, do not insult the ducks." Blair interjected, smoothing a comforting hand across her friend's back, as she recalled her own horror. She'd talked Serena into going with her to the pond, but it hadn't been relaxing, in the least. Instead, she'd become fixated on the pairs and trios abounding around them. Small children with their parents. Mothers and daughters. A man with his son, teaching him to ride the bike. Serene, moments straight out of some magazine and Blair had gotten more and more pissed with each passing minute. Ducks. Forgotten. Peace. Some alien ideal.

She'd sent Serena off, using food as an excuse. Once her friend was out of sight, she was dialing a number that she hadn't tried in months. By now the voicemail didn't even switch over, it just kept ringing. Next, with only a moments hesitation she was calling her mother. At that point, it was only two days after her blowout with Eleanor. They hadn't spoken since Eleanor leveled her ultimatum to go through with the adoption or "get out."

Blair hadn't regretted her decision, and it'd only taken minutes to find that Eleanor was just as unmoved in her resolve. They only ended up arguing again. By the time, Serena returned, Blair was in full rant mood. Ducks scattered and mothers and nannies gave her wide berth. Serena had tried to get her to calm down but Blair would have none of it. She'd raged on about Eleanor's laundry list of maternal failures over the years. One moment she'd been rehashing her appendicitis with only Chuck and Dorota for company, while Eleanor as usual was off looking out for number one. Then in the next instant, she was seeing twice the Serena and then nothing at all.

Later that day, Blair woke up in the hospital for the second time in her life and again Eleanor Waldorf-Rose had been nowhere in sight. It had been Lily and Serena who'd taken care of her, promising Blair's OB that they'd make sure she adhered to her bedrest and keeping her life as stress-free as possible.

Certainly not the easiest of tasks, even under normal circumstances, and Blair's life had left normal behind a _long _time ago.

--

_July 2009_

"Mom, what's happening? B, are you okay?" Serena asked though she knew the truth of it, the moment she stepped inside the room. Or even when she'd shaken off the final dregs of sleep and realized that it hadn't been voices from the television but from the next room, rising and panicked.

She watched as her mother visibly pulled herself together, calm and control reining in the wild fear in her eyes. "Serena, grab my phone from my room and bring it to me. I programmed Dr. Schulman's number there after that first scare." Lily revealed, as if Serena needed to be reminded of that day in the park.

"Blair?" Serena didn't move, her eyes were trained on her best friend. The brunette's face was flushed and every inch of visible flesh was bathed in sweat. Her expression pained, one hand clutching at the sheets and the other cradling her abdomen. "B…"

Lily barked, "Serena! Go, now!"

Movements automatic, Serena rushed out to do her mother's bidding. She didn't remember racing from the room and going into Lily's. She only knew that she suddenly had her mother's cell phone clutched in her hand and she was bumping into Eric in hallway. "Eric, oh god. Move. Move."

He stepped aside, but she heard his hurried footsteps following close behind.

"Here it is." Serena shoved the phone into her mother's hand.

"Good. Good. Come sit with Blair."

The blonde was already moving. She knelt down beside Blair, , "Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong, B?"

Her friend moaned, her words stilted and hoarse. "S…Hurts."

She gripped Blair's hand, "Where? Tell me where?"

Blair didn't answer.

"B, what does it feel like? Are you in labor?"

"Serena, Dr. Schulman wants to know if she's feeling any aches or pains in her side or her back." Lily said, "Eric, I want you to go downstairs and wait for the paramedics to get here."

"Yeah, okay." Eric nodded slowly and stumbled from the room. He didn't bother changing from his t-shirt and boxers, his mind was too full. Too worried about Blair.

"B, come on. Talk to me. What are you feeling? Is it like we read in the books?"

"My head hurts, S. Turn off the lights." Blair peeked out through squinting eyes.

Lily dimmed the lights but didn't shut them off. "Serena, check her belly. Dr. Schulman wants to know it feels hard."

"Here." Blair groaned, guiding her friend's questing hand high on her belly. "Doesn't feel like I thought. This hurts way way more."

"Ask her on a scale of 1 to 10." Lily relayed from Blair's O.B.

Blair laughed without a trace of humor. "Remember those Prada boots I had to had to have…that took me forever to break in."

"Yeah." Serena nodded.

"Remember the first time I wore them."

"I remember they had you walking funny for almost a week." The blonde said. "Oh, okay."

"Exactly." Blair tried to sit up. "So I'd say about a twenty on that scale."

Lily repeated Blair's analogy and assessment of what she was feeling.

"B, maybe you should just sit still."

The brunette shook her head slowly. One hand creeping up to her mouth. "Can't. Help me up."

"That's a good idea, Serena. Walk around with her and see if that helps."

"No. Bathroom. I'm going to puke." Blair explained. "God, I thought this was supposed to end months ago."

Serena scrambled to her feet. She made it to Blair's side just as the brunette began wavering, swaying. "Hey!"

"Hmm," She stumbled backward until she was sitting on the bed again. "Think I'd just better stay right here."

Serena settled back down at Blair's side. She spent the next few minutes trying to get her best friend to use the breathing techniques they'd been practicing. Meanwhile, Lily paced the length of the room, glancing every few seconds at the two girls huddled together.

"Blair, sweetheart. Is the pain getting stronger?" Lily questioned.

"No." She shook her head, "Pretty much the same level of excruciating as before."

"B, what can I do for you? Can I get you water or something?"

Blair shook her head. She frowned and started to say something. "Well…no. Nevermind."

"No, tell me."

She mumbled, her words obscured and unintelligible.

Eric came rushing in the room before Serena could ask again. Soon enough Serena was being edged out while two paramedics checked Blair over. Or rather, one took the pregnant woman's blood pressure and checked her vitals, while the other peppered them all with questions. Some similar to what Lily had been asking on Dr. Schulman's behalf.

Serena studied the two men. Trying to gauge the seriousness of the situation in their expressions, but they gave her nothing to work with.

At one point, the fair-haired medic took the phone from Lily and conferred in hushed tones with Dr. Schulman. He came back not long after, "Your OB will meet us at the hospital. Which of you will be riding in the ambulance with Miss Waldorf?"

"Me." Serena's hand shot up.

"Actually, I want Lily to come with me." Blair informed.

"What?" Mother and daughter demanded in unison.

"Ladies. Calm, soothing tones." The dark-haired medic advised, hefting Blair in his arms as a bridegroom would his newly wedded wife. As if she weighed less than nothing.

Blair's arm went around his neck automatically. Her other hand unconsciously tracing soothing circles across her belly. "S, I need Lily with me."

"But…but what about our plan."

"And I want you and Eric to get my mother."

"We can call her on the way." Serena assured, keeping her tone as neutral and deferring as possible.

Blair shook her head, "She won't answer."

"B, this is crazy."

"Please, S. I want her there. I need her there."

"What about Dorota?" Serena asked, "We'll call her cell and she'll let us up."

"You can't. She's visiting her sister." Blair reminded.

"We'll go." Eric piped up. "Don't worry. We'll get Eleanor to the hospital."

"Darling, why don't I go with Eric to retrieve your mother?" Lily suggested, "That way, you and Serena can head to the hospital together."

"Won't work. I know my mother and you'd be lucky if the doorman even lets you in the building…let alone upstairs." Blair smiled despite the dire circumstances, "You didn't exactly make a bosom buddy for life the last time that you two spoke."

"What makes you think that I'll have better luck?" Serena questioned, trailing behind the group as Blair was carried from the room and downstairs to the waiting stretcher.

"Really, do you have to put me in that thing. I can make it downstairs and to the hospital perfectly fine on my own two feet."

Serena snorted her disbelief, "Yes, because you didn't almost just fall flat on your face trying to get to the bathroom."

"Aren't you gone yet, Serena?" Blair rolled her eyes, seeming more like her old self.

"We're going."

"Fine. Just don't have those babies until I get there." Serena leaned down, "You hear that down there. Auntie S says that you have to stay in Mommy's belly for a while longer."

"Don't worry. It's probably those Braxton-Hicks thingies. This is just a huge overreaction." Blair said, "The girls can't come for another month at least. It's way too soon. You'll see. It'll be just like in those movies. Did you know I was born two weeks after my mother's due date. Fash…"

"Fashionably late, even from the womb. Yes, I remember." Serena sighed, shaking her head.

"Ladies, we need to go."

Serena stepped back, standing with Eric as the medics strapped Blair in and Lily returned with her jacket and purse. "Blair, honey. Where's your bag for the hospital?"

"We haven't put it together yet." Serena said.

"There's no reason to pack it yet." Blair assured, "I'll be home…back here tomorrow night. With more strict orders this time, to not even so much as lift a pinkie. You'll see."

Serena and Eric started into the elevator with everyone else.

"Um, S. Don't you think it'd be a good idea to maybe run a comb through your hair. Put something more than that robe on. Though, that might be the way to get past the doorman."

"I'll take care of her, Serena. You just get to Eleanor. Maybe this'll knock some sense into the woman. Let her see how screwed up her priorities have been in this." Lily met her children's eyes briefly. She tried to reassure them both. "I'll take care of her."

--

_Present Day_

"You seriously don't remember booting me as your Lamaze coach in favor of my mother and sending me into the lion's den with yours?" Serena asked.

"Sorry, but I really don't. Some things are crystal clear in my head and others I'm completely blanking on." Blair admitted. She dragged in a fortifying breath, preparing to ask the question that would sting in the knowing.

Serena beat her to the punch with one of her own, "Why'd you ask for my Mom?"

"What?" She didn't understand what Serena meant at first.

"To stay with you…ride with you to the hospital. You asked my mother to go with you."

"Well, about that." Blair said, "I don't know, really. I didn't plan it. I just really needed her with me right then. You're my best friend in the world, S. But Lily took me in and well…she's a Mom and since I couldn't have my own right then and there…Lily was it, I suppose."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Sorry, if I hurt your feelings."

"You didn't really." Serena said before admitting, "I don't think I was in the best frame of mind to deal with your mother, though. Good thinking sending Eric along. He did most of the talking."

Blair steeled herself, waiting for what would come next.

--

_July 2009_

"Who are you calling? Please tell me you're not trying Eleanor again. She didn't answer any of the half-dozen times on the car ride over and I doubt she will now." Serena warned as they hurried onto the service elevator.

The same service elevator that Serena herself had used frequently in the past. Or rather, Blair had used it to sneak her wasted bestie in, right under Harold and Eleanor's noses. She used the key that Blair had secretly copied for her and stabbed with mounting impatience, at the call button for the Waldorf-Rose apartment.

The sooner they got this over with, the sooner they could get to the hospital to check on Blair.

Eric cleared his throat. "Actually, that wasn't Blair's mother. Not every single time, at least."

"Then who...oh." Serena nodded, "but...wait. He's not answering his cell phone. The voicemail isn't even working anymore...who'd you leave that message for earlier."

Eric looked away guiltily.

"Oh my god. You've talked him. All this time we've been going out of our minds, worried and Blair oh my god. _BLAIR_."

"Stop it. I didn't talk to Chuck. I just tried an old number."

"But you admit that you've talked to him since he took off." Serena accused again.

"Look, he called a few months ago. The night before my birthday or I guess it was my birthday wherever he was holding up. The point is that yes he called. He apologized about Bart's wake,"

"Eric, why didn't you say anything?"

"Chuck made me swear not to and I wasn't exactly reassured by the way he sounded."

"Eric," Serena looked at him, that moment and everything else in the past few hours, feeling like some great, unfunny cosmic joke, "I can't believe you kept this to yourself. I'm your sister for crying out loud."

"And he's our brother." Eric retorted.

"Exactly. I had a right to know and B is having his children."

"I know!"

She demanded, "Did you tell him that we've been looking for him everywhere. Some of us who haven't benefited from a late night call to let us know he's still alive."

"Serena, when's my birthday?

"What?" Blinking in confusion, she tried to reconcile his words.

"When. Is. My. Birthday?"

"Eric, we don't have time fo...wait. Your birthday isn't until next month. Oh my god."

"Right. We need to find him and bring him home as soon as possible and not just for Blair. He needs us,"

"I know, but we've done everything, looked everywhere and still managed to stay one step behind him."

"Thanks to Jack."

Serena frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly, what I said. He's never been away this long"

"Well, Bart died and this is how he's dealing. At least, he called you. Maybe he's ready to come home"

"Not if Uncle Jack can help it. As long as, Chuck stays away, Jack can go on running things. He's holding the purse strings, I think he knows exactly where our brother is..."

The service elevator jolted to a stop, doors sliding open to the familiar sight of the pantry door and a corkboard, covered with dozens of lists scratched out in Dorota's handwriting.

Serena interrupted, her voice falling immediately into whispered tones, "Look, we do this for B first and make sure she's okay, then we can confront Jack. "

Getting into the building had been as hard as Blair had predicted. They'd almost given up completely on getting past the doorman when Serena remember having a key to the service entrance and the elevator. Serena figured that the hard part was over. That now they'd only have to tell Eleanor that her daughter had been rushed to the hospital and they'd be on their way.

Twenty minutes later, Serena was checking her phone for any word from Lily and again found no new message. No texts. Nothing to tell Eleanor who seemed unmoved by the fact that Blair had asked for her.

"Lily's there. I'm sure she'll offer all the support Blair could possibly want." Eleanor said, "Oh, wait. Those were her words exactly."

"Eleanor, please." Eric tried.

She wasn't listening, "Blair doesn't need me. She knows exactly what she's doing. She's the soul of responsibility and ready to parent not one but two children."

"That doesn't mean she doesn't want you with her."

"Yes, it does. She's eighteen and making her own choices. Well, I gave her one here. Give those…those _children _up and go to Yale like she's always planned. Live the life that she's been preparing for since she was a little girl."

Eric said, "But she _is_ going to Yale."

"With babies in tow." The older rolled her eyes, "What does she think this is one of those god-awful Lifetime films? You and Blair are both still too young to understand just how much she'll ruin her life if she doesn't go through with the adoption."

"She's made her decision, Eleanor."

"Yes and so have I." She said, "Dorota, show them out."

Serena looked around to see that the maid who'd appeared at some point during the less than cordial exchange point was looking on, wearing her bathrobe and wringing her hands. "Wait. But I thought Blair said you were visiting your sister."

"I postpone. Miss Blair say to go but I wait until babies born."

"For godsakes. Get them out of here and don't forget that I pay your salary, Dorota. Not _Miss Blair._"

"Fine. I show them out, but please , Mr. Eric and Miss Serena. You wait for me. I need to change."

"You're not going anywhere."

Dorota pulled herself up to her full height, shoulders squared. "I have the night off, Miss Eleanor. Remember?"

"That was yesterday and would you look at that. It's after midnight. A brand new day and I need you here." Eleanor retorted, avoiding her husband's disapproving bearing, as he stood slowly. "Then again you could quit and go work for Lily Bass. She seems to love taking in misfits and cast-offs."

"Dorota, go get dressed. No one's leaving without you. I'll get our coats." He said.

Dorota spared Eleanor barely a glance before she disappeared from the room.

"What do you think you're doing?" Eleanor turned on the husband that she usually adored and not quite mustering the disdain she'd shown to the van der Woodsens and her own daughter.

"Exactly as I said, dear. Getting our coats. You might want to grab your shoes." Cyrus told her.

"I'm not going."

Serena and Eric stood back anticipating the coming standoff and wondering at the flipside of the usually cooing pair.

"Eleanor, your only child is in the hospital. The daughter whom I know you love. If I just stand by and support this foolish attitude, you'll hate me and yourself if any happens to that girl. I love you both too much to let that come to past."

"But…"

"You're going."

"No, I'm…" She sputtered as he slipped her coat on over silk pajamas. "Well, I can't just go outside like this."

"And I know better than to let you go upstairs. You look just fine." Cyrus assured her, "Besides, the hospital is full of people in hospital gowns and pajamas. You'll fit right in."

"Fine. It's probably nothing, anyway. Braxton-Hicks. I had them myself with Blair." Eleanor revealed, "and do you know she ended up coming late after all."

"You don't say." Cyrus threaded his arm through hers. "Like mother, like daughter."

--

_Present Day_

Blair couldn't sit anymore. Serena kept talking. Telling her about the uncomfortable ride to the hospital and the hours of waiting. The doctors barring Serena's entrance into the delivery room and her mother's refusal to trade places with Lily. As much as she hated them, Blair found there were definitely upsides to the gapping holes in her memory.

She moved away from her best friend, needing to think. Needing space. Instead her feet carried her closer to the hospital bed.

"I don't get it, S." Blair whispered, looking down at her sleeping children. Eleanor's grandchildren. Kat asleep on her belly, dark curls hiding her face and her twin squirmed closer and closer to the edge of the bed, one arm flung over her eyes and her mouth hanging open.

"What, B?"

Blair reached out, smoothing the hair from Kat's face and her other hand curving Evie's baby soft cheek. "How'd she just walk away? From them? From all of us?"

"Well…" Serena chewed on her bottom lip.

"No, you know what? Don't bother, Serena. There's no explanation. I was in a coma. Her last link to me and she stayed away from them for _five years. _Who does that?" Blair reached for the anger.

"Your mo…"

"Exactly, my mother!" She turned back to Serena. "That's who."

The blonde was on her feet, "Blair, shh. You'll wake the kids. Hell, the entire floor."

"Sorry, but I just don't get it. I knew she was upset with my decision but I honestly thought that she'd come around. I guess I forgot who I was dealing with, the woman is as bullheaded as can be."

"Guess you come by it honestly, then."

"Don't compare me to that woman."

Serena held up her hands in mock surrender as her friend on her with the full force of her upset. "Sorry."

"I'm her daughter, Serena. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I was out of commission and she should've been there. Helping Chuck like the rest of you, but instead she just goes on with her life as if they don't exist. As if I don't."

"B, that's not exactly true. You didn't let me finish."

"There's more?" Blair snorted in disbelief. Her relationship with her mother was at rock bottom. What more could there possibly be? "Well, don't keep me in suspense, Serena."

"Come back and sit down with me."

"I don't want to," She pulled away, arms crossed. "Spill it, S."

"She didn't walk away…not really. Not away from you." Serena told her.

"Oh." Blair said, but it didn't soothe the hurt that she'd been nurturing at the core of her since she was a little girl, that hope that one day she'd been just perfect enough and deserving enough of her mother's time and devotion shriveled even further and turned into a brittle thing that might crumpled and fly away under just the briefest disturbance in the air.

Eleanor hadn't walked away. What in hell did that even mean?

"She didn't exactly make life easy for any of us. My family was basically barred from your room for months."

"So, what? She got all territorial and wanted me all to herself." Blair said, taking no pleasure in the idea.

"I guess you could say that." Serena tried again to get Blair off her feet. "Seriously, B. I'll tell you the rest just come back over here."

Blair rolled her eyes but did as her friend asked, plopping down onto the cot with a dull thud. She absently rubbed at bottom, wayward thoughts drifting briefly to Chuck. No. the truth first. She wanted to know all that they'd been keeping from her. And the way S was acting, Blair wasn't sure what to think.

"The rest, Serena. Finish it."

--

_July 2009_

Lily turned to the woman at her side and spoke in hushed tones. "Eleanor, for godsakes. I am begging you for the last time not to do this."

"It's already done. The minute the judge signs off on it, that child will be going to the parents Blair chose."

"You can't split them up. You cannot sit there and tell me that Blair ever intended that to happen."

"Don't preach to me about what my daughter wanted," Eleanor whispered, her eyes focused on the three men huddled just yards away, shuffling through seemingly reams of legal documents. "Besides, the separation won't be permanent. As soon as…the other baby is healthy enough, they'll come back for her."

"You can't even say her name. Either of their names." Lily accused, "Evelyn and Katherine. Say it."

"The adoptive family haven't disclosed the names they've chosen for _their _children." Eleanor retorted.

"What the hell is wrong with you? We shouldn't be here…doing this. We should be back at that hospital…waiting for Blair to wake up. Enjoying the first days of those babies' lives." Lily said, "They share your blood. Don't you feel anything?"

Eleanor's head whipped around at that, "My daughter…my only child is in the hospital right now, clinging to life. She should be out having fun…getting ready for Yale. She's going to lose everything that she ever worked for. Everything she's always wanted. That is what I _feel._"

"You talk about what she worked for…but what about respecting what she wants?"

"_This _is what my daughter wanted. I mean what she wants…Blair has her entire life planned out. This adoption is what's best for all parties involved."

"What about what my son might want?"

Eleanor chortled, her entire manner derisive, "Oh, I think young Charles got exactly what he wanted months ago. We wouldn't be here if he hadn't, would we?"

"Dammit, Eleanor. We should be supporting them here. They both messed up. Blair is just as responsible for our present circumstances. "

"Yes, she is. Which is why she decided to do the _responsible _thing and give these children a family."

"They have a family. This isn't what she wants. Blair changed her mind."

"Well, the adoption papers that she signed, say something entirely different." Eleanor said, "Be serious, Lily. If Charles gave a damn about her or your so-called family, where in the hell has he been?"

Neither woman realized that a some point their fast and furious, whispered exchanged, had escalated to a full on shouting match. At least not until the sound of the pounding gavel pulled them back to themselves.

"Enough. Mr. Sawyer…Ms. Phillips. I suggest that you get your clients under control…or I will. We may be in chambers but the same rules still apply." the judge cleared his throat, his sharp gaze pistoning between the two women.

"I'm sorry, your honor. It won't happen again." Lily assured.

"See that it doesn't." He said, "Mrs. Rose?"

Eleanor sighed, "Oh, fine. No more insults shall pass between me and Blondie here."

"Good, now before you two so rudely interrupted, I was preparing to announce my decision concerning the validity of this adoption." The judge glared, obviously finding something lacking in her obviously insincere contrition.

Blair's mother tried again, "Again, I apologize. Please proceed."

Lily forced herself not to fidget in her seat. She forced herself to breathe as she wait to hear what the judge had to say. All she needed was more time. Serena and her friends. The detectives and Jack were all working overtime to bring Charles home before he the chance to have any kind of say about Katherine and Evelyn's futures. He'd suffered more than enough heartache in his young life. She didn't want this added in with all else. Just a postponement. That was all she needed. Just more time.

The judge looked between both Lily and Eleanor. Finally his focus settled on Lily and she couldn't help squirming just a twinge. He made that face. The same face that she was growing familiar seeing whenever she visited Blair's hospital room. That distant, pitying glance.

"Mrs. Bass. I appreciate your passionate argument on your son's behalf, but as Mrs. Rose has pointed out…he has shown no interest in forestalling these proceedings. And these papers clearly state Miss Waldorf's intentions."

No. Lily gasped out, "But your honor she changed her mind. She's been setting up a nursery at our apartment."

"The woman is delusional, your honor. My daughter is set to attend Yale in a few months. She can't very well set up house with two babies in her dorm room."

Lily glared at her, before turning back to the judge. "I…"

He held up his hand. "I truly am sorry but Young Mr. Bass has grown quite the reputation for himself and he's shown that he's not willing to return home to stop this adoption…"

"Because he doesn't know about it…he didn't know Blair was even pregnant."

"Hmm," the judge frowned down at the papers spread across his desk. "Well, I have a sworn affidavit from one Jack Bass…the boy's uncle that he delivered a letter from Miss Waldorf detailing the entire situation…and yet…here we all sit. With not a sight or word from your son."

Letter? What letter? "No, that's not possible. I'm sorry. It simply cannot be true." Lily shook her head, "Charles would've come home if he knew what was happening."

"Are you saying that there is some reason to doubt the validity of this affidavit from the boy's very own Uncle?"

Well, Jack wasn't exactly her favorite person in the world and she couldn't think of why he would say he'd delivered Blair's letter, if he really hadn't. It was far more likely that he had sent it off and either it never caught up with Charles. Or maybe it had and he hadn't been ready for any words that might pull him from his grief and bring him home. "Your honor, all I'm asking for is just more time."

"You've said yourself that your family has been searching for months. The boy doesn't want to be found." He said, "Look, he'll make his way home soon enough…both, he and Miss Waldorf will have the option to change their minds before this is final. Until such time…I am forced to uphold the validity of these papers…Evelyn Bass and Katherine Bass are to be surrendered into the custody of their adoptive parents, as soon as, the hospital sees fit to release them. This hearing is hereby adjourned."

He offered Lily another of those glances before leaving the room.

"We can appeal. We'll start the paperwork right now." Lily's lawyer hurried to her side.

"Don't waste your time." Eleanor stood to her feet just as Lily did the same.

The blonde stared at Blair's mother. Making no attempts to hide her disgust. Lily didn't utter a single word as she breezed past Eleanor.

"Nothing to say."

Lily bit her tongue, but couldn't help turning back as she reached the door. "Congratulations."

The other woman's surprise was immediate but she covered quickly with a sly smile, "Why thank you, Lily. How gracious of you."

"Don't thank me. You just lost."

"Hmm…I think you need your hearing checked because I heard the judge clearly enough."

"No, I heard him. You've lost everything you hold dear. You just don't know it yet." With that, Lily made her exit as graceful as possible, walking easily from the room when she wanted to hurry. Resisting the urge to slam the door at her back. She did give into the urge to curse when she was out of earshot. "Stupid. Stupid bitch."

Lily reached for her phone, preparing herself to deliver the bad news.

"Mom?"

"Hello, darling. We just got out and it's not good."

"No, Mom. Listen. I just got a call from Kati Farkas." Serena said, her voice relieved for the moment of the dull, sadden pall that had shadowed them all since three nights before. "She thinks she knows where we can find Chuck."

"What?"

"Chuck, Mom. I know where he is."

--

_Present Day_

"B, say something. You're scaring me."

"Oh my god." Blair stared at her friend, her eyes unseeing. "Oh my god."

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N:** Again…sorry for whatever I may have effed up on but the SF is minutes away and my grape martini awaits. B knows the truth and you guys got the rundown of…well how it went down. Let me know what you think. Hope you enjoyed this one. As always let me know what you're thinking. And *snoopydance* TWO MINUTES & COUNTING…hugs all around…Love you guys so friggin much :D

Courtney


	28. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** Well, it happened. He said. We're all starting to recover (after watching at least a hundred times) and now we're looking forward to next season already and all that's to come. In the meantime, I've got a new chapter for you guys. That's for all of your wonderful words and reviews from the last. Glad you enjoyed it. So here's the next. As always. Much love to Wifey and my girls…and a special dedication to my Belle and Cher who are taking the happy ending we got and leaving us on a high note. I love you both like crazy and I'll miss you dearly *kiss*.

* * *

**Chapter 27**ஐ

All hell was breaking loose back home and yet he was here. Halfway around the world. It'd been hours since Blair called him, wanting to know the truth of her mother's misdeeds. He'd gone back and forth, picking up the phone more than once to call her back and tell her everything. Or to tell the pilot to turn the fucking plane around

Only he didn't call her. Telling himself that it was late and she and the rest were likely sleeping. That the truth could hold a few hours more, Chuck assured himself, and he'd done the right thing telling her to wait. She loved her mother and finding out that the woman had given away one of her children, wasn't a conversation to be done over the phone.

So it shouldn't have been unexpected that Chuck's frustration and temper had reached a boiling point as he stepped onto the tarmac, shielding his eyes from the glaring, morning sun.

Mike's contact was waiting as instructed. A hired car at the man's back.

"Mr. Bass. It's really great to meet you…" the man smiled.

Chuck stretched, trying to work out the kinks and slipped a pair of Ray-Bans on. He glanced at the man's outstretched hand and then back up at the man's face. "Sorry, but no time for niceties. Take me to Sparks, so I can get the hell out of here."

Phillips blinked, his hand falling to his side before he stammered out, "Uh, of course. I understand perfectly. Mike said that this was a matter of the utmost importance…"

"And yet, you're still talking."

"Sorry, uh…guess I'm just nervous. Not everyday the boss…" Phillips snapped his mouth shut. "And I'm doing it again. I'm told that I tend to babble when I…please follow me, sir."

Chuck wordlessly motioned for him to lead-on. _This _was the person who Mike entrusted with making sure that that nutcase, Georgina Sparks was locked away in the loony bin where she belonged.

Despite the fact that he wanted to be back in New York with Blair and the explosion that was his best friend's life, Chuck was reassured that he'd made the right decision. He just really wished the timing would've been better.

"Oh, by the way. Happy New Year's Eve." Phillips tried again. And then he started chattering on about local festivities and parties scheduled for later that night. Reminders that he needed to get this trip over with a.s..p and get his ass back to New York.

Chuck glared. The man was starting to remind him of a certain Brooklynite with his chatty Cathy ways. God knew that one Dan Humphrey in the world was more than enough. "Why don't you ride up front?"

And they were off. Chuck started thinking about all that he was missing back home again. Blair. Nate losing his fucking mind. All the ways he planned on destroying that cockroach Baizen, once and for all. Only he could barely hear himself think with the man going non-stop in the passenger seat. Phillips, that rambling bastard, almost put Humphrey to shame. Almost.

When Chuck failed to respond to any of the man's inane conversation, he began addressing the driver who answered him on grunts and jerky nods. The driver at least seemed attuned to chuck's growing displeasure. He glanced repeatedly in the rearview mirror.

Wondering why in the he'll he'd been given a car sans partition, chuck finally hissed, "Phillips, isn't?

"Yes, sir." the man perked up at finally having the boss' attention. He turned in his sit, his expression reminiscent of an excited puppy.

"How far out from civilization do you suppose this airstrip is?" Chuck

"Oh, I don't know. Twenty-five…thirty minutes from the nearby residentials anyway. It's almost forty minutes though for the city."

Damned if he planned to sit through another thirty minutes of this, "And tell me…are you up to walking the rest of the way."

The talkative bastard stole an embarrassed glance in the driver's direction, but the other man studiously avoided meeting his gaze. "No, sir." Phillips coughed out.

"Good." Chuck settled back against the seat. "Now, I don't need you trying to entertain me stories about local color...if you can't ramp down in this incessant urge to speak then do it about something of consequence."

"Sorr..."

Chuck held up a forestalling hang. "And please stop apologizing. Tell me more about this nurse who confirmed that Miss Sparks is indeed a patient in this place."

Phillips started to smile but then he seemed to catch himself. "Um, that would be Veronique." He cleared his throat. "Gorgeous...lithe, young blonde...doesn't know a bit of English. I can be your go between...act as translator if you like."

Chuck shook his head, "That won't be necessary." his father had seen to it that his son and heir could fluently converse with business associates throughout the world. "Tell me what she said."

"She confirmed that Miss Sparks is in residence."

"Details, my friend. I want to know exactly what she said and how. I want to know how you approached her." Chuck demanded softly.

Chuck spent the rest of the seemingly neverending drive, having Phillips go over his first exchange with _Veronique _and then the second after Olivia George's existence sent Chuck's spidey senses reeling.

Lingering over coffee in the early morning hours, Phillips had hunkered down in the small café right across from the sanitarium. He'd had a direct view of those who entered and left the facility and so he'd watched for days. Listened closely to staff members who stopped picking up breakfast or bitching over their lunches and taking shots at the boss. Relating stories of their more eccentric patients. He'd finally approached Veronique on the forth day after she'd come in, chattering about her charges.

It'd been almost too easy, when he'd finally approached Veronique, chatting up up. He'd pretended to take her in confidence, letting her know that he'd been commission by an interested party to track-down her estranged granddaughter.

Chuck had already crafted his own cover story around what Phillips had initially told the nurse. He didn't just want to talk to this Veronique. Or any of the staff. He'd only be reassured that Whoregina was where she belonged, if he was granted a face-to-face with the bitch. What better way to do that then as her half-brother, Charles. Come to deliver the sad news about their now "late grandmother"

He motioned for silence from his informer and started making phone calls. "Time for a visit with Sis." Chuck murmured, _if _Sparks had truly and finally been fitted for her own strait-jacket. Otherwise, he was that much closer to tracking down the truth about Olivia George.

~ஐ~

She grabbed her phone, not wanting the soft trill to wake the children or disturb the woman who'd been pretending sleep for the better part of an hour. She glanced at the caller ID and for a split second debated answering. "Hello?" Serena whispered hoarsely.

"Thank god."

"It's late, Dan. What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't think of anyone else to call. Well, actually I tried Chuck a while ago and he hadn't heard anything."

"Wait. Are you talking about Nate? So did he actually get arrested?" She and Blair had been so wrapped up in all the drama and emotional battery of fives past that they hadn't given Nate a second thought.

"No. Chuck talked the cops out of taking him in. I was supposed to take him upstairs so he could sleep it off." Dan explained, "unfortunately, Nate had other ideas and I've checked everywhere I can think of...Chuck's, the station...I even called to see if he'd stopped at the brownstone...which wasn't the brightest idea since it's probably the last place he'd go now..."

"The very last..." Serena glared into the dark. Angry with Carter and Vanessa. Pissed at herself for pushing the issue. Yes, Nate needed to know the truth but he was one of her best friends in the world. She was hurting for him.

"He wasn't there of course so all I managed was worrying Vanessa." Dan groaned. "I had to talk her out of coming with me to look for him."

He sounded so exhausted and defeated that she almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Her mind was stuck on repeat, echoing his last words. "Vanessa's worried?! I can't believe you just said that,"

"I'm only stating facts, Serena." Dan said, "Try not to kill the messenger,"

"I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. It's her." Serena threw her arm over her eyes. "Did you check his mother's?"

Absolute silence met her query, but soon enough he was blustering out, "Ha... yea. Of course I did..n't"

"Or my place. Nate has a key." She revealed, "Or at Eric's…Victrola. Or any number of Chuck's late night spots where they know Nate and wouldn't kick him out…even after final call."

"Gee, thanks Serena. Very helpful of you."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize. It was my fault." Dan said.

"Actually…"

"I thought we weren't going to talk about Vanessa anymore."

Serena cleared her throat, "We weren't and you're the one who said her name. I was going to say something else."

"Oh."

"I was actually going to suggest that I meet up with you." Serena listened to the silence on the other end of the phone and the sudden rustling across the room as Blair shifted, rolling to face her best friend.

"Wait…no. Aren't you doing that sleepover thing with Blair?"

"The kids are asleep and B probably won't even notice that I'm gone…" Serena stole a glance in her best friend's direction. Deep down she knew that her best friend wasn't actually upset with _her _and that B hadn't been intentionally "not talking to her." She'd given the other woman a lot to digest. Time to give her some real space to go along with that.

Besides, Serena really wanted to make sure that Nate was okay. Being with Dan was just the cherry on top of it all. "Look, you check his mom's place. I'll check mine and we can meet up at Victrola. All right?"

"Sounds good to me. Meet you in twenty?"

That was ambitious. Even in the middle of the night, the city was still alive with activity. "Works for me. See you soon."

Blair didn't say anything until she hung up. "I'm not mad at you."

"Oh, okay so you just have been _not _speaking to me for the past few hours for the pure joy of it." Serena sighed.

There was a soft click before dim light flooded the room, making them blink rapidly until their eyes adjusted to see the world as more than masses of vague shadows and dancing lights, peppering through the blinds. "S, I'm not mad at _you..._this entire thing feels so unreal. I wasn't giving you the cold shoulder or anything. I just needed some time to think. Figure out how in the world we could've gotten to this point in our lives."

"Come up with anything good?"

Blair shook her head, her smile bittersweet. "Nope. Only the thousand different ways that I'd like to throttle my mother."

"Do you know what you're going to say to her?"

"I don't know that I'd ever want to speak to her again." Blair finally admitted.

"So I don't have to worry about you sneaking out of here, the minute I leave to meet up with Dan?" One blonde brow quirked, Serena's expression bordering on incredulous when Blair shrugged.

"No cab fare, remember?"

"Like Blair Waldorf ever let herself sweat small details like that."

"Well, you have a point there." Blair wrinkled her nose, "Seriously, though. I gave both you and Chuck my word. I won't confront my mother. Not tonight at any rate."

"Good."

"Now you just don't forget what _you _promised, Serena Cecilia van der Woodsen."

"Oh god. Blair, for the very last time. I won't say anything about our little talk to Chuck. Seriously though, B. He was going to tell you himself. You know that, right? If you'd have waited…"

"Could you have?" Blair demanded softly, knowing the answer even as she spoke the query.

"No."

"Good, then you understand why I don't want you saying anything about this to Dan Humphrey, either." She made a face, "Telling him anything is the equivalent of taking out a full page ad, for godsakes."

"I won't say anything to Dan, either."

"Not to anyone, S. Promise."

Serena reached over and hugged her best friend, "Cross my heart." She moved the twins to the cot with Alex and started for the door, her teeth chewing at her bottom lip. "I'm heading out. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

She tried not to be surprised when Blair pasted on her sunniest smile, "Perfectly, now go find Nate. I'm going to try to get some rest. Big day tomorrow."

Neither of the girls said a word. The pink elephant in the corner making its presence known. Just what would tomorrow bring, besides the coming New Year. Where she should've been growing more and more excited about finally leaving St. Vincent's, she was picturing her mother handing over newborn, Evie. Refusing to see fragile Kat. Barring Chuck from Blair's side for weeks. Months.

Once Serena was gone, Blair dimmed the lights again. Taking refuge in the darkness that had terrified…overwhelmed her just days before. Despite her words, she knew that rest of any kind would be long in coming. Instead she practiced all the things she would say to her mother.

"Mom…Mother…Eleanor." She started. With Serena gone, the darkness flooding the room, Blair waited for the torrent to come. It was safe enough and no one and nothing would bear witness, but she was beyond tears and anger. Too much had happened. It wasn't a question of forgiving her mother, because what the woman had done was beyond redemption.

Over the years, Blair had let so much slide with Eleanor but this was beyond the pale. Now she knew the truth, B suddenly wished for the bliss of ignorance. What the hell was she supposed to do now? In the old days, she would've been a woman on a mission. Ready to eviscerate anyone who crossed her or hurt someone that she love, and she was still that Blair but this was her mother.

What takedown, could she plot to destroy her own mother…how could she lash out at the woman most and let her feel even a measure of the caged emotions threatening to consume Blair, burn her up from the inside out. Burn her up until there was nothing left to mourn or love besides smoke and ash. That was what her relationship with her mother amounted to now. The woman just didn't know it yet.

Chuck wanted her to wait for him, but this…this was something between mother and daughter. She turned on her side, closing her eyes and tried shutting off her mind. Think of anything else but the constant barrage of thoughts that granted her no relief.

"God, Mother. How?" She breathed, the same mournful question that would trouble her years to come because there was simply no good or right answer for that particular question.

~ஐ~

Chuck paced restlessly. He'd been left to cool his heels in the administrator's office. Almost a half-hour of excuses from her secretary and the woman still had yet to make her promised appearance. He'd laid the groundwork earlier for this visit and now he just needed the damn woman to get there so he could confirm that Georgina Sparks was not in fact institutionalized in this effing place. No, that bitch was likely back in New York, dreaming up some fresh disaster to unleash on cooling his heels in the administrator's office.

"Mr. Sparks, so sorry to keep you waiting. More than one emergency delayed my getting here in time. Did you want anything? Coffee? Tea?"

"No, thank you. I just wanted to say again how much I appreciated you agreeing to meet with me at the last minute. Today of all days. I'm sure that you've got plans to spend time ringing in the New Year with your own friends and family."

Chuck leaned forward, his aim to charm and outright lie his way into Georgie's padded cell.

"Well, Mr. Sparks…"

"Please call me Charles. Mr. Sparks is my father." He told the woman.

"Of course." She nodded, "Now as I told you earlier when we spoke, Mrs. Sparks…you mother…"

"Stepmother," Chuck amended politely, a wealth of meaning in that simple title and his expression.

She blinked at him in confusion but seem to digest the distinction quickly enough, "Oh, yes. I'm sorry. I should not have assumed."

"It's okay. My father married quickly after his first marriage. Georgie came not long after."

"I see"

In for a penny and all that, Chuck forged ahead with the rest, "We grew up much closer than you'd think. Given the circumstances."

"It must have been very difficult for you both."

"Oh you have no idea. As you can guess from the glaring omission of my name on that list...my stepmother never engendered a close relationship with Father or Georgie." And cue the violins, Chuck gave her his most pitiful expression. " It wasn't the easiest thing growing up there. It was a relief when I went to live with my mother's family on a permanent basis. Grandmother thought of Georgie as one of her own, though. My sister didn't do very well on her own on that house, as our present circumstances would attest."

The director nodded, offering both her sympathy and understanding, "Indeed. You sister was a mess when your parents…sorry...your stepmother and father left her with us. However, from all of the reports I've gone through since you called...your sister is like a whole different person.

"Oh of that I'm certain." Chuck nodded, in more ways than you know, lady. "So can I see her? I wanted to bring news of our grandmother's passing. Such a chore should be left to a family member. Wouldn't you agree?

"Completely, but explicit instructions were left limiting your sisters visitors to Mr. and Mrs. Sparks, alone."

"And how long has it been since they visited? Six months? A year?" He demanded softly, playing the part of indignant big brother. Silence fell between them as he awaited her answer, though he already had it on good authority that Georgina's parents hadn't wandered that part of the world since dumping their troubled offspring in this place. Not once in almost two years.

Fuck. And to think, of all the times he'd considered his own father a heartless bastard. Apparently, not by a long shot. The elder Sparks, by comparison, made Bart look like Mike effing Brady.

Glancing quickly through the folder that he just realized had been sitting there all that time he'd been just sitting on his ass waiting, the director cleared her throat. She didn't say anything to confirm his words but her disapproving expression was proof enough.

Chuck tried again, "I meant what said earlier. I only need a few minutes. Just long enough to let her know about my grandmother. That and well—that when she leaves this place I'll be keeping an eye on her." that last part was all true if not something of an understatement. Once he got actual visual confirmation that that crazy bitch was indeed being treated within these hallowed halls, he'd have someone--other than Phillips keeping an eye on the place. And if the woman across from him ever released Whoregina from her cage, he'd have her every movement tracked.

But first he needed to be sure that any possible danger or threats lurked not from Georgina but from some other source.

Chuck waited for the woman's agreement to him visiting his "sister," and when those words came he fought the satisfied smirk from curving his lips. "I suppose there wouldn't be any harm." She said.

Voiding any calculation and satisfaction from his expression, Chuck went for humble and grateful, two displays with which he had but a passing acquaintance. Something of that fact must have shown as the director stilled and gave him another long assessing look.

He offered up a lopsided grin and settled for charm instead. The tried and true method that rarely failed him when it came to anything in stockings, from coeds to grannies.

"I'll just go see her myself and let her know of your presence." The director said, Chuck's satisfaction stuttered and fled with those words.

Cursing silently, Chuck said, "Actually, Madam I was hoping to surprise Georgie."

"But you already are...as you said yourself she doesn't get very many visitors. It'll be a good treat for her...help her ring in the New Year on a brighter note." She winked in conspiracy, "I'll back with you in a moment."

He forced smile only until she left him, carrying Georgina's file under her arm. Chuck cursed silently, he'd already had designs on glancing through the thing. He checked her computer and found it predictably password protected. Chuck settled back, telling himself that it was almost over. Soon enough, he'd be back on that G5 and speeding his way back to New York and Blair for _their _New Year's celebration. Finally, springing the surprise on her that he'd been planning for over a week. So close.

Chuck waited for the director's return and wondered at Georgina or more likely imposter Georgina's reaction upon hearing of her "brother's" impending visit.

Waiting for the director's return, he readied himself for two possibilities... either Whoregina was here and about to put the kibosh on his deception or her stand-in was pissing in her pants fearing she was about to be discovered into he midst of her own scheme. Either would offer much needed proof but Chuck still didn't plan on leaving until he laid eyes on the lunatic himself.

The director didn't keep him waiting this time around. He heard the door opening behind him and wondered what he'd be confronted with. An extremely pissed off or very confused director. "Charles…"

And here we go. How would he play it?

"As you'd expect your sister is excited to see you again…" The woman said.

Well, not quite what he'd expected. Chuck started to turn around to face her.

"As a matter of fact, she couldn't wait to see her big brother." Another voice chimed in, sounding all too familiar.

He frowned, caught off guard and turned to take in Georgina Spark, smiling like the spawn of Satan.

"Hey, bro. Long time no see."

~ஐ~

It took him three tries before he actually made it up the steps. The first time he needed a moment to adjust to the vertigo he'd started to experience. The second time, he made it halfway up but was rushing back down to puke his guts out in the gutter. All he could think of was how long it'd been since he'd been this fucking drunk. The night before his wedding, his boy had thrown him the bachelor party to end them all. Best not think about that though or Chuck's nearly serious offers to get him out of the whole damn thing. He'd even offered the company jet as a means for his quick getaway. Granted they'd been on said jet at the time, flying down to Miami, the first of many stopovers for the night. Chuck had promised to get Nate to the church on time the next day that was all he'd needed. He'd partied it up with Eric, Chuck, and the others. He'd had the time of his life. They'd somehow ended up spending most of the night and early morning hours in Vegas. Much of the how or what was a blur but Eric liked to say that they all had a _very _good time. And he'd gotten Chuck to mix-up his little hangover cure all and so he'd been mostly none the worst for drink.

Nate wobbled back and forth, holding on to the railing and heaving himself up the steps. He grinned, knowing that he'd need his good ol' buddy to work his magic come morning. Perk #356 of having Chuck for a best friend, perfected hangover remedies.

He made a grab for his keys, fingers fishing around blindly in his coat pockets. Nate leaned heavily against the door. For a moment his mind churned sluggishly trying to remember if he'd left his damn keys in the cab. He couldn't remember, but then he felt something metallic brush his fingertips.

"Ha!" Nate grinned drunkenly and pumped his fist in triumph. "Oops. Sh!!!" He said, teetering for a second as his head whipped from one side to the next, looking up and down the slumbering neighborhood.

Glancing to the side, he half expected to find the nosey old lady, hanging out of her window next door. Staring down her disapproval. Except she wasn't. And what's more, there was a tree now blocking her previous unfettered view of his stoop.

Damn. When had they planted a trick? It was a big ass tree and why hadn't they thought of planting the damn thing months—no years ago. Vanessa had probably put it there trying to make him forgive her. Faithless bitch. He'd meant what he'd said earlier. He didn't forgive her.

Nate glared over at the towering tree, focusing all of his loathing on that point. He finally yanked his keys out and then spent the next five minutes trying to puzzle out why they didn't fit the fucking locks. He leaned on the doorbell, all the while scratching at the lock with his useless keys, making a song of his wife Vanessa, the most faithless bitch on the planet. He resisted the urge to bang on the door. _Stella!! _Like in that play they'd seen last year with Lily, Chuck and Serena. Nate couldn't remember the plot, he'd just left a double shift at the station and had fought the tempting pull of sleep.

Nate didn't bang on the door, though, or call out. The Archibald family had faced more than enough scandals thanks to the Captain and his grandfather. He didn't want to add to it but putting his marital woes on full display for the entire fucking neighborhood. Fuck. What had she done now? Changed the goddamn locks on him. It was his goddamn house. Sure, he'd intended to let her have it all at first but that'd been before she told him about Carter.

A light suddenly flickered to life on the first floor. The old fashion sconce to his right flared, blinding him momentarily. He held his hand up to shield sensitive eyes. Nate didn't realize he was still leaning against the doorbell until the front door was yanked open. By someone who was decidedly not Vanessa but rather a male someone.

His hands fisted at his sides, Nate forced himself to count backwards, dragging in deep breaths of frosted air.

"What the hell do you think you're doing…" the familiar voice and face demanded. And it wasn't Carter. Another one?

Nate blinked rapidly, seeing two of the man where there should have been just one.

"Honey, why did you open the door. I told you to just call the police."

Laughing at that, Nate was about to identify himself as "the police" when he realized that the feminine voice didn't belong to his wife either.

The man lowered the golf club at this side, features pinched and eyes squinting in recognition, "Nathaniel is that you?"

"Gerry?" Nate frowned, trying to figure out what the older man was doing at the brownstone...in his bathrobe. For godsake not Gerry too. The man had been married for more than thirty years. Great another marriage down the tubes. Nice work, Vanessa.

"Honey."

That was definitely not his wife. Or his foyer.

"It's fine, darling, just Will's grandson."

"Well, what is he doing banging on the door at this hour of night." She demanded.

Nate stumbled backward trying to get a peek at the street number over  
the door. Hmm, now that wasn't his address.

"I think you'd better put the coffee on." Gerry reached out, grabbing him with a staying hand and pulled the younger man inside, "you know a simple phone call would've done the trick."

Right. Gerry had left him a message earlier. One he'd been avoiding returning. The one he'd been bent on returning after he final managed to disentangle himself from the waitress he'd picked up. They'd ended up at her apartment in Soho and afterward all he could think about was how much he needed to talk to Gerry.

"I thought of calling but that would've been rude at this hour."

"So you came over instead?"

"Exactly." Nate flopped down, head thrown back against the sofa. He yawned, suddenly mindful of the time and what almost everyone in the city was doing at that hour of night. "Hey, I didn't wake you guys, did I."

"It's a mite early than we're used to but no harm done. I take it by your presence though that you'd like to forge ahead with this divorce."

"Yes!" Nate nodded, his speech slurred. "I want that part of my life over and done with."

"Fine. Just fine, I'll file the petition as you requested. Irreconcilable differences."

Nate shook his head, negating their previous discussion. "Try adultery."

"All right. We can do that. I know you were concerned about this before and wanted to keep things amiable."

"Not anymore. I want out but the gloves are off. She gets nothing. No settlement. No house."

"So you want me to break the prenup?"

"I don't care what you have to do to make it happen. If you're not up to it, let me know. Chuck said his people could handle it if I needed a real shark."

"Nathaniel, I've been in this business for longer than you've been alive. Trust me, kid, when I say I've been in the middle of more one nasty divorce. No one does vindictive quite like the UES."

Nate smiled his approval. "That's all I needed to hear. Think I'd better let you guys get back to bed." he started to his feet and landed flat on his face not two seconds later.

Gerry gaped at his client's unconscious form. His wife came back with coffee in hand.

"Oh. I'll get the guestroom ready." His wife said. "And fix his head. That can't be comfortable."

"Doesn't seem to bother him. Bet he'll feel it in the morning."

"Are you going to call his grandfather?"

Gerry shook his head, "Nope. Doubt Nathaniel would appreciate that. No, just let the boy sleep it off. Go ahead. I'll bring him up."

She disappeared, leaving the older man with the daunting task of figuring out just how he was going get Nate up there. "And just in case you were wondering ...this is definitely on the clock, kiddo."

~ஐ~

Dorota nodded, "Mm-hmm. I understand."

The other end of the line fell quiet before Miss Blair's less than pleased tone sent the maid's fluttering lashes wide. "Dorota, are asleep?"

Sleeping on the job? Never. The maid's spine snapped to attention and though she still felt sluggish, her heavy lids ready to fall at any second. She blinked rapidly fighting the urge to lay back down for even a few minutes. At least until she could reassure her mistress of her avid attention.

She reached out and nabbed the Garfield notepad that the girls had given her for her last birthday.

Only once she was absolutely certain of Dorota's attention did Blair finally lay out her plans for her mother.

Dorota was wide awake by the time her mistress finally hung up, two pages of notes. She almost felt bad for Miss Eleanor. It seemed that tomorrow would go very differently than her former employer was likely expecting.

The maid glanced over Miss Blair's explicit instructions one last time before switching off the lamp. Despite her worries to the contrary she was falling over the edge into sleep. This time around though she didn't dream of that yummy blonde Bond doing his level best to charm Dorota right out of her pants or stockings rather, off of her. No, hers was a dream that was an older recurring nightmare. Her beloved Miss Blair waking up to find that Mr. Chuck had never returned and both if her babies given to new mamas and never seen again.

The dream was a blessing. It would make her task easier come morning.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** So Blair's wrestled with what to do about her mother and made her decision. What do you guys think Queen B has planned for Mommy Dearest? First destroying the bar at the Palace…almost getting arrested and visiting his lawyer with a "wam-bam thank you ma'am"in between. Chuck's journey has taken him on some unexpected turns. Georgina's in the hospital after all…hmm.

I won't leave you guys hanging long. Hopefully I'll have the next one posted tomorrow or Friday at the latest. Hope you liked this one. Let me know what you're thinking. Later *kiss*

Courtneyஐ


	29. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N:** New chapter for you guys. Insanely busy weekend. But good times were had by all and I hope you all have enjoyed the same. Thanks for all the amazing reviews. I swear a few of you just about made me cry…it's wonderful to know that you're enjoying this ride as much as I am. So here are more twists and turns for ya. So read on and *kisses*. As always. Much love to Wifey and my girls…

* * *

ஐ**Chapter 28**

Chuck was torn between relief and disappointment.

On one hand, it was back to square one with putting a face on his own personal menace. That the possibility of more fires and innocent people getting hurt, still loomed. Then again, on the other side of things, he had his confirmation that at least on top of everything else, he didn't need to worry about Georgina Sparks gunning for them.

Plotting against both he and Blair. Working to bring down his family and the legacy his father had worked long and hard to build.

Shit. He'd been so sure. Certain that she was the one, but how could it be when she was standing here. Smiling at him like a loon.

"Georgie." He greeted her, smiling for the benefit of the director looking on during their little "family reunion."

"Chuck. Big brother! Gimmie a hug." She rushed over and threw her arms around him. "God, I can't believe how long it's been."

He had no choice but to welcome her with open arms with the director still watching. His mouth at her ear Chuck murmured for her ears along, "Hey there, sis. Mind getting your hand off my ass."

"Oops." She pulled away smiling. "So. How's the family?"

Chuck frowned at her. Unable to help himself he stepped between, trying to find some deeper meaning in her words. Some threat.

The director cleared her throat reading something else entirely into his silence. "I'll just leave the two of you to get reacquainted. I'm sure Georgina cannot wait to hear noise of home and your family. Your Grandmother." She added meaningfully, throwing in one of those pitying looks that he'd grown to hate after Bart's accident.

"Oh, yes. Grandmother. I've missed her. I was going to write but the longer I didn't the harder it was. Tell me. How is she?" Georgina said, her tone full of adoration for their non-existence relative.

God, she was really good. Why was she playing along? She could've had him thrown out on his ass. What the hell was she up to?

He demanded as much once they were alone.

The mask fell away as she settled on the edge of the desk. Cool calculation in her eyes. "Me. I was just learning Canasta. You're the one who came to see me." She smiled then. Same old Georgie. "And color me surprised. My long-lost brother. You do know that this puts a whole different spin on that night we…"

"Can it, Georgina."

"Oh, call me 'sis.' It's sexy." She teased. "Don't tell me that you and S never once played doctor…slipped up even once, in all the years since Lily and Bart got hitched."

Enough. He had his assurance that she was locked away from the world. Time to get back to B and tracking down the real culprit. Chuck started to his feet.

"Not even once. I'm disappointed. S used to be so much fun and you…" She studied him, "Still saving yourself for 'Sleeping Beauty'?"

"Have a nice life, Sparks."

"Oh, don't go. Come on, I'll be good. I never get any visitors in this place. Tell me how goes the 'Cold War' with Mommy Dearest. Last I heard, you were going toe-to-toe with Blair's mother." Georgina pouted, "I'll play nice."

"That makes one of us."

"Why'd you even come here, then?" She snapped at him. "Why the games and talking your way into this place?"

Chuck shrugged negligibly, "I was in the area. Guess you could say I was curious about where you finally ended up."

"This place is hell. My parents just dropped me here." She revealed, "And do you know that in all the time I've been here? Almost two years. You're the first person who's come looking for me."

"How…unfortunate." He murmured, shrugging into his coat. "No friends. No family. Just this place. I hate to say it, Sparks, but it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. You did this to yourself."

"Don't be a hypocrite, Chuck. You're no better than I am. You played your games with peoples lives…and that bitch…" Georgina met him glare for glare but took a step back as she uttered the last. "You and your queen got off on it."

"Blair is nothing like you."

"I suppose you're right. I could've come out of this whole thing in a much worse position. You see…at some point. Just as they always do, my parents are going to forgive and forget…and then I'll be out of this place. But too bad for you…your Queen B is a friggin' vegetable and you're stuck raising those two brats. No wonder you came looking for me. You're bored out of your mind." She guessed. "Tell you want…spring me out of here early and I'll be on my best behavior."

"Not on your life, you crazy bitch." Chuck was no longer wavering between disappointment and relief. He was fucking elated that he'd found Georgina in this place. She seemed to think Blair was still in a coma…which made sense. Not like she would've been able to get that kind of news on this side of the world. Especially since she seemed to have no outside connection to the world, beyond parents who couldn't be bothered to visit her for the holidays.

Chuck wasn't about to correct her assumptions.

Their little visit had reminded him just why he didn't want the bitch within a thousand yards of his family. Hell, he didn't want her on the same fucking continent.

"Do yourself a favor when you get out of here, Georgina. Use your parents' money...live however you like but don't come back to New York." Chuck warned as he started for the door.

"Oh, I don't know. A girl gets homesick, at times."

"Find a different home." He yanked the door open and came face to face with the director. The woman took one look at the "siblings" and her smile fell away. Well, fuck. There went instilling a bit of good will. Getting his foot further in the door, so to speak, so that he could check-in with the woman now and again on his "sister's" progress.

"Chuck, wait." Georgina called out, her tone suddenly rife with remorse.

Heaving a sigh, he avoided the older woman's eyes and turned back and the crazy bitch smiled.

"Don't I get a kiss goodbye?"

He glared and walked away, the director calling out. "But wait. I don't understand. Did you tell her about your grandmother?"

Chuck disappeared down the corridor without offering answer. Instead it was Georgina's almost hysterical laughter that filled the ensuing silence. She couldn't help herself, really.

The King himself had come to check up on her. She'd known he would. Wanting to protect his precious Blair.

It'd been the hardest thing ever to keep a straight face when the son-of-a-bitch had gone all self-righteous on her. And they'd see soon enough just how he handled life without his family. No friends watching his back.

"How'd I do?" the nurse she'd paid to masquerade as the director queried, following her quick pace beyond the real director's secretary. Both women were on Georgina's payroll.

The real director was off visiting with her family. Instead it was Georgina's moles who'd intercepted Bass' phone call earlier. Georgie had known that it was only a matter of time before he'd at least send someone to get a direct line of vision on her after his bumbling PI showed up again, asking questions and flashing her picture at Veronique. She'd 'convinced' or rather bribed more than one of the nurses on staff to keep an eye out for anyone asking questions about her. And damn if her gamble hadn't paid off beautifully.

"Good enough for a late Christmas bonus." Georgina handed over the cash-filled envelope as promised and two others for the secretary and Veronique. "Make sure these get to the rightful parties. I need to get back to New York. Can't let them ring in the New Year without me. Chao."

Georgina stopped back in "her" room only long enough to collect the things she'd left earlier. The wig and bulky clothes that would help her get out of this place beneath the watchful eye of whichever sentry Chuck Bass had thought to call in to keep an eye on the place.

Wouldn't it be funny if she beat him back to New York? Maybe plan a surprise of two for his homecoming. Definitely something to think about.

~ஐ~

They'd checked everywhere they could think of, stopping at Serena's, Chuck's and Anne Archibald's house. No one fitting Nate's description had been brought into any of the surrounding emergency rooms. Serena was having flashbacks of Christmas night when Dan had gone missing. The guys had tried to assure her that it was nothing but of course they'd been lying through their teeth. So Serena was edging into full panic mode that last time she tried her friend's cell phone.

Thankfully the call was finally picked up. She'd been fully prepared to unload a shitstorm on her old friend. Only it wasn't his voice on the other end. Somehow he'd ended up at his lawyer's place, and at that point, Serena was too exhausted to find out the why and how of it.

Just knowing that he was okay so that she could strangle him later for making them all worry. Hug him close because she knew deep down that he was hurting.

God, she really wanted to slap Vanessa. Just one more time.

Serena made it back to the hospital just before dawn. She was relieved to see that Blair was still where she'd left her and instead of disturbing the three sleeping children with another move, Serena simply slipped into the hospital bed with her best friend.

The move woke Blair from her troubled rest, but only briefly as she quizzed her bestie about Nate. Then all was quiet once more in the darkened room.

And just like that it was morning. One of those "blink your eyes" and you missed it nights of unrest. The blonde stretched out and found that she had the bed to herself.

"B?" Serena rolled over and found that she had the room, as well. Blair and the kids were nowhere in sight. "Dammit, Blair. You promised." She silently cursed the best friends she'd known all her life. First, Nate had her up all hours of the night. Now she was supposed to go tearing off after B.

The blonde hurried out of the hospital room and nearly ran into Blair and her entourage.

"There you are."

"Estelle, wanted to see the kids."

Serena blinked at her best friend, her brain still too fuzzy with sleep to figure out who in the world B was talking about. "Who?"

"Mommy up." Alex demanded, holding out his arms.

"Estelle. The old lady down the hall. You were asleep and Dorota stopped by with breakfast." Blair said.

Oh, right. The nosey old lady who'd thought Dan was into guys. "Dorota was here? What time is it?"

"Just after eight. Dorota's running a few errands for me." Blair advised breezily as she ushered their group back into her hospital room. "Things I need done before my transfer to the private hospital tonight."

Serena hid a smile against her son's ear, but it must have shown in her eyes.

"What's that look?"

"What look?"

"That one…you're looking awfully pleased with yourself." Blair said, something that wasn't quite suspicion in her eyes.

Serena wondered if that doctor of hers had spilled the beans about Chuck's surprise. Or at least dropped hints. She hoped not. B could use a few happy surprises after the drama of last night. Hell of the entire week since she'd finally woken up. "I am. Tomorrow's a whole new year and you're finally back. Getting out of this place. Everything's right."

Her friend smiled sadly, "Not yet. Soon though."

Eleanor. "Do you want to talk about it?" Serena asked.

"Nope. There's nothing to talk about. Besides, shouldn't you be leaving. Lily's on her way to pick up Evie and Kat, and don't you have to drop this guy off." Blair reached over stroking Alex's baby soft cheeks.

"Yes. New Years Eve with the Baizens and then Carter's dropping him off tomorrow. Blair, what are you up to…are you trying to get rid of me?"

"No. Trust me. I wish you didn't have to go. I'm going to be bored out of mind. Dr. Will's got a stack of paperwork that I wish you could sign for me."

"Have you talked to Chuck?" Serena asked.

"Briefly. He said he couldn't talk long. I think he was just afraid that I'd start asking about my mother." Blair shrugged.

"B, don't be mad at him."

"I'm not."

"Not even a little?"

Blair sighed, "He was trying to protect me. I get that. It drives me crazy but I can't hold that against him. I'm going to let him know when he gets back though…that there can't be any more secrets between us. No matter how bad. I want to make a life with him, Serena. I'm just not sure how I'll be able to do that if I can't trust him."

Serena immediately thought of the other secrets that she was holding back on her brother's behalf. The truth about that fires that had destroyed Jennifer's and almost killed her and Nate. Dan, Jenny, and the others who'd been at the party.

Her bestie needed to know about the rest and Serena was going to tell Chuck exactly that. Tonight at the apartment.

"Have you decided what you're going to do about Eleanor?"

Blair smiled, watching Evie and Kat.

They were energized and freer with their sleepover already a done deal. No need to be on their best behavior now.

"Feed me, Seymour." Evie demanded, her mouth wide and waiting for her twin to toss leftover popcorn in the air.

"Mommy, can we watch the movie again?" Kat purposefully threw popcorn everywhere _but _her sister's mouth.

"Give me that. Yes, you can watch, but no singing. Not too loudly, anyway. You don't want to disturb Miss Estelle, do you?" Blair snagged the bowl and set the movie up again. "Just until Grandma Lily gets here, guys."

Serena settled her son down with his cousins before turning back to her best friend. "B, about Eleanor…"

"Not now, S." Blair tipped her head to Kat whose attention seemed more focused on them than the action on screen. "Tell me about Nate again. He was at Gerry Blake's house last night?"

"Yeah. Did Chuck say whether or not he'd talked to him?"

"No. He didn't get any answer when he tried. He's worried. About me. Nate. And I don't think his business meeting went all that well." The brunette confided. "He was totally trying to cover up. I'm just glad he's on his way back. He'll get back and then we'll talk and everything will be fine."

Serena didn't bring up Eleanor again or accuse her bestie of slipping on those blinders again. Besides, once Blair knew the truth about the fires, there wouldn't be anymore secrets hanging in the wind. B was right. Chuck and Blair would talk and finally have it out. They'd find a way to deal with Eleanor. Then they could all get on with their lives.

"It'll be okay." Blair assured. "You'll see, S."

~ஐ~

In another part of the city, Nate was busily trying to figure out just how embarrassed he should be feeling. He'd apologized to Gerry and the man's wife again and again, with phantom echoes of admonishments from his grandfather ringing in his ear. Despite, the couple's assurances of complete discretion, somehow William Vanderbilt had a way of finding things out.

Chuck had once confided about Bart's little hobby of keeping dossiers on those he worked with and the people around him. Nate wondered if his grandfather indulged in the same.

He stopped off at the hotel long enough to shower and change. Thankfully the door to the suite across from his didn't budge. Either Dan had finally gotten the hint and was butting the hell out of his life or he was out and about "saving the world."

Only later did he remember the fact that both Blair and Jenny were supposed to be getting out of the hospital. The other man was probably off taking care of his sister. Or offering a shoulder to his best friend.

Don't go there, he warned himself, popping two more aspirin for his pounding headache. He'd called Chuck at the first opportunity and gotten his friend's hangover cure-all. Too bad he didn't have the time or resources to put the thing together. Why in the hell hadn't he just gone along with Chuck's advice to just call down to the kitchen and have it all sent up.

Wasn't as if the staff hadn't seen he and Chuck in worse states? He still couldn't believe he'd trashed the bar. He'd just needed to hit something. Destroy in just the way he felt destroyed. First his marriage and now looking around at his fellow officers watching him, he had to wonder if his career was soon to follow. God, he'd fucked up last night and judging by the varying degree of curious and amused looks he was getting, it seemed that the NYPD rumor mill was churning at full speed.

His partner's desk was empty but that jackass Henderson had his butt planted on his favorite spot at the corner of Nate's desk.

"Not now, man."

"Come on, Archibald. Truce." Henderson held up his hands in mock surrender. "I heard about your trouble last night. What can I get you, man…aspirin. Coffee. Some Kleenex."

"Back the hell off and get off my goddamn desk."

"You really look like shit, but good thing you didn't have to spend the night in the drunk tank. First you've got your granddaddy pulling strings and now your good friend." Henderson grabbed the picture frame from Nate's desk and snagged the wallet sized picture of Kat and Evie. "These are his kids, right? Where's that picture of the cute blonde you had in here before? Bet you hit that before."

"Are you trying to piss me off?" Nate snatched the picture frame and picture out of the man's hands.

"Henderson, leave the kid alone." Someone called out from the other side of the room.

"Nah. Richie Rich, can handle himself just fine. I heard about the number you did on your friend's place. You've got some real issues, you know?"

"This is the last time I'm going to warn you, Henderson. Get the fuck out of my face."

"Make me." Henderson invited, his smile wide. "Then after I beat your spoiled ass into the ground…maybe I'll go look up your blonde friend. Or your wife. She's got to be awfully lonely with you living at that hotel."

Nate felt the stirrings of the same anger that had him wanting to strike out at something. Someone. And that asshole Henderson was giving him one bigass target.

"Come on, Richie Rich. Make me get out of your fucking face."

"No. That's my job. Everybody get back to fucking work. Where the hell do you people think you are…Ceasar's goddamn Palace? Archibald, get your ass in my office _now." _The Lieutenant shoved between them. "And Henderson. I swear to god. If I ever and I mean ever come across you baiting a fellow officer…acting like some goddamn schoolyard bully…you'll be writing fucking parking tickets until you damn well retire. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Henderson muttered, his eyes promising dark retribution once the Lieutenant's back was turned.

"Anytime." Nate mouthed.

"And what the fuck are you still standing there for?" Lieu turned back to Nate. "What are you waiting for me to say pretty-fucking-please?"

"No, sir."

"Then get the fuck in there."

Nate was moving, already halfway across the room before he remembered the picture frame in his hand. Uncaring of what they'd make of it, he let the silver frame drop in with the trash where it belonged. He heard the instant buzz of speculation but kept his eyes straight ahead, slipped the pictures of the twins and Alex into his jacket pocket.

He adopted a neutral expression but Nate was almost relieved when the Lieutenant slammed the door behind him. God, the man was pissed and Nate couldn't help the smile creeping across his face as he remembered the Lieu taking a piece out of Henderson's ass. It felt good to have someone else on the receiving end of Lieu's ire and there was no one more deserving that than that jackass, Henderson.

The older man was quiet and Nate didn't turn, though he could almost feel the eyes drilling into the back of his skull. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but all good humor fled completely once the Lieutenant came around to face him.

Shit. "Sir, I…"

"Shut the fuck up…just can it." He settled down heavily behind his desk, never once taking his assessing eyes off of Nate.

Nate couldn't help squirming, he felt like he should be saying something. Explaining himself but what exactly could he say?

"You look like shit."

"Yes, sir…" Nate agreed earning a glare. Oh, right. No talking. "Sorry."

"You put on a hell of a show last night I heard…and out there. Do you like what you do? The job?"

The younger man opened his mouth but snapped it shut just that fast.

"I meant for you to speak there, Archibald. Answer the fucking question."

"Of course I do, Lieutenant. I can't think of anything else I'd want to be doing."

"Good. That's damn good." He nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Because I want you to keep that thought in mind. You're going to get the fuck out of my bullpen today just so you can think about that and nothing else. Consider how much you love being a cop the next time you pull some bullshit like last night and then drag your tired ass in here like you did this morning."

"Sir, I can work today…"

"You're damn well hungover. I don't want you in my squad today. I want you out of my sight. Come back tomorrow ready to work or to hand over your badge. Whatever personal problems you've got going on right now…I can't fucking coddle you or baby your ass. Leave them at the damn door and come to work. You got me."

"Yes, Lieu."

"Good. Now. You wanna tell me why you had Melvin looking for an Olivia George."

Well, fuck. Nate cleared his throat, "She's a person of interest, Lieu."

"In the arson case?"

"Well, not necessarily…she might…uh. Have information…in connection."

"Stop bullshitting with me. I'm not in the fucking mood." The older man interrupted. "Take you ass out of my sight. Go home or where the fuck ever and remember what I said. You come to work or hand me that badge and gun. You come in tomorrow, I want a straight answer on this _person of interest _and what you and Bass have come up with so far on these fires. Now go."

Nate didn't wait to be told twice. He was out the door, pulling it shut before the Lieutenant could change his mind. The aspirin he'd been popping still hadn't kicked in and he had the mother of all headaches. It was probably a good thing that the Lieu had booted him for the rest of the day. He should probably just head back to the Palace for Chuck's hangover cure-all. Few more hours of sleep before he had to make himself presentable for this thing Chuck was having for Blair later at the apartment.

God he wasn't up for it, but they were his best friends. Chuck and Blair. And Serena, too. The Non-judging Breakfast Club, Blair had called them, years ago.

Damned if he didn't need them now. Them and a stiff drink.

His aching head protested the last. He walked past his desk and saw that someone…likely Henderson had retrieved his wedding picture from the trash bin and set it back in its former place of honor.

Nate grabbed it up and dropped it back into the garbage, glaring at Henderson's obnoxious, smiling face. "If you like it so damn much. You keep it."

Henderson's smirk only grew wider and Nate had to get out of there. Or hand his badge and gun over to the Lieutenant right then and there.

Another drink was definitely in order. He'd destroyed the bar but there was still the mini-bar in his suite.

~ஐ~

Eleanor's laughter rang, filling up the enclosed interior. The joke poor Roman was busily butchering wasn't even that funny but she couldn't help herself. She felt more exuberant. More alive than she had in years. It was surreal. Sitting across her from ex-husband and his lover in the back of the hired car, snuggled close to a man she'd never envisioned herself with but couldn't see living without him now.

It felt surreal, as if the past five years had been some strange dream or a story of someone else's life. Still riding high from the fun she'd had with all of her girls last night, she was growing more and more excited for the night's coming festivities. Honoring the New Year and most importantly officially welcoming Blair back home.

Sighing, she glanced over to see her beloved watching her with the sweetest of smiles. "What? Do I have something stuck in my teeth?"

"No, no." He patted her hand when she would've reached up to check.

"Then what's with that look? It's rude to stare, darling."

"Yes, but I have an excuse. I am enthralled. You are simply glowing, my dear." Cyrus informed, smiling brightly.

"Oh, stop it." Eleanor waved him off but couldn't help returning his smile.

Harold and Roman quickly agreed with her beloved. Her first husband admonished, "Listen to your husband, Eleanor. You look ten years younger."

She felt it.

"You look happy." He added. A knowing look in his eyes.

"I am," Eleanor admitted, laughing again as Cyrus dropped a quick kiss against her open palm. "Brunch for the four of us was a wonderful idea, Harold. Thank you for inviting us."

"Well, I wish that I could take full credit, but it was all your daughter's idea."

Eleanor blinked in surprise. The younger woman hadn't mentioned it last night "Blair?"

"Yes," Roman nodded, adding in accented tones, "She called zis morning and inzisted that we all go out for brunch."

"That was sweet of her," Cyrus said, "You'll have to call her when we get home and thank her."

"Excellent idea, my love. I'm truly glad that we were able to do this. Sit down together and just talk without all the old tension and resentments."

All three men nodded their agreement. They were all polite but she could tell what they were thinking. How the tension and high drama had been of her own making. Didn't she know that all to well?

"To new beginning," She raised her champagne glass, "And Blair. To her happiness with Chuck and their family."

They all toasted to that. Fully prepared to leave the past where it belonged. The foursome chatted about their grandchildren. Harold and Roman sharing more stories of the five years, Eleanor had missed out on. She'd tried to stop feeling envious last night with Lily, but hearing them talk about Evie and Kat didn't burn her quite as much as it did with Lily. More likely than not because sometimes she'd look at the other woman and remember that day in the judge's chambers. Lily's dire words ringing in her ears.

"…_.You've lost everything you hold dear. You just don't know it yet."_

Eleanor shivered, remembering them now. Unconsciously, her ever thoughtful husband rubbed his hands up and down her arms, never once, outwardly wavering in his attention to Harold's words. When he laughed and looked at his wife, touches of concern in those brown eyes, she tried to shake herself of that feeling and recapture that exuberant happiness of earlier.

Tonight. She told herself, smiling. Trying to picture the look on Blair's face when Chuck finally brought her back to the apartment for her surprise party. God she couldn't wait.

~ஐ~

Dorota waited. Following her mistress' orders to the tee, despite the nervous fluttering in her belly. She may not have worked for Eleanor Waldorf-Rose in years but the woman still scared the poop out of her.

Not for the first time, she wondered if Miss Blair had made the right decision. Yes, she would get her revenge, but was it ultimately something that she'd be able to live with. Dorota wasn't sure, but she knew that as always the young miss would have _her. _

She hoped that Mr. Chuck was true to his word and that he made it home in time for the party. She had a feeling that Miss Blair would need him at her side once everything was said and down between the two Waldorf women.

In flashing insight, Dorota had the sudden thought that she should probably call Mr. Chuck. That he should know what was happening, but before her fingers could so much as twitch and reach out for the phone in her lap, she stopped herself.

No. She couldn't call him. Miss Blair had made her promise not to. Instead she just sat there. Waiting. Listening until she finally heard the sound of a key in the lock.

Showtime.

ஐ**TBC**ஐ

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it…there is mischief afoot. With Dorota in the middle and Blair pulling the strings. Natie can't catch a break..at home or at work. Georgina still out and about and crazy as hell. She was one step ahead this time but how long can that last. And King C…on his way home to rescue his Queen from her prison of a hospital. Ready to unleash his surprise for the New Year. That it's homeward bound for the Waldorf-Bass unit rather than another hospital. Hope you liked this one. As always let me know what you're thinking. I'll try to update within the next few days. Almost vacation. *yay* Later bbs *kiss*

Courtneyஐ


	30. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N: **Okay, I know you guys have been waiting on this one and I'm sorry it took so long to post…just one thing after another. From my internet going wonky and getting that fixed to the older desktop that was basically the hub of the various laptops in the house just up and died. Well not permanently…it comes on for 30 seconds and then shuts off and then comes on and goes on and on from there. Just long enough to screw with the wireless. But I digress…as you guys know I can do. I have a new chapter for ya and possibly a new story that I'm trying to start posting this coming weekend…yet another reason for the delay on this one. The idea got caught in my head and couldn't not write it…despite my best efforts. For those CB lovers who pull double duty and happen to love Bro/Barney from HIMYM…well…ever wonder what would happen if the world of GG collided with HIMYM. Well that's what I've been working on and I'll try to post the first chapter this weekend. In the meantime…let's get a move on with this one :D. Still loving it which makes things all the worse cause now I've got two stories dueling it out in my brain. Not pretty. "And They All Lived" can be very territorial, you know? ;) Okay... thanks as always for all the amazing reviews and words. I hope you love this chapter as much I loved writing it. Much love to Wifey and my girls…hugs all around.

* * *

**ஐChapter 29**

Blair scribbled her name one last time before shoving the stack of paperwork at the attending nurse with more force than she'd intended.

"Is there anything else?" She demanded not bothering to disguise her impatience with the entire ordeal of finally being released.

They couldn't just tell her that she could go. No, first she had to sign a packet of papers as thick as the Webster's friggin dictionary. Her fingers were numb and felt about ready to fall off. Then just when she was certain that she'd finally gotten through it all, they came in with even more. On top of that, if it wasn't someone barging in with something else for her to sign, it was one of her doctors wanting to get in one last poke.

She wished like hell that they'd all just leave her alone. Serena had left hours ago to drop Alex off with the Baizens and to run errands. Errands that she'd gotten all close-mouthed and weird about when Blair asked about it. If not for the situation with her mother, Blair would've been all over her bestie's paper-thin excuses. Instead, she'd opting for getting Serena out of her hair for the moment and then grilling the other woman later. The girls left not long after with their grandma Lily and suddenly her room was brimming with stillness and quiet.

Absent of her daughters' chattering and songs. Alex chasing after his cousins and Lily pretending to be upset and chastising them. Chuck by her side, his lips skimming her ear now and again. Not teasing or habit but just because he could, while her own hand would reach out now and again, smoothing the hair at his nape.

Sure there was the bustle and calling voices beyond her hospital room, but the quiet in her room was more unsettling than it had ever been since she'd woken up.

Blair knew the reason for it. Her eyes drifted again and again to the phone that didn't want to seem to ring. The phone that she didn't want to answer when the call finally came.

Time and again, she backtracked. But it was ultimately the right thing.

All the while, she felt changed inside but not really. Dry-eyed when there should have been pain and loss. She forced herself to think of her children. Her little Kat and Evie.

She thought of them and what her mother had almost done. What she herself had started years ago. How easily history might have told a different story where her daughters never found one another again. Forever missing a part of themselves in the other. Chuck forever the lost little boy who wasn't made to be the man she always knew he would be. What else would be different if her mother had had her way. That thought. Those what-ifs, stayed her hand when her fingers itched to get Dorota on the phone and call the whole damn thing off.

She'd packed up most of her belongings. All that was left was the most recent picture of her girls and their daddy. The silver frame sitting right next to the phone that refused to ring at the mere will of her thoughts.

The door opened behind her.

Dammit, not again. She turned ready to glare at the next person pointing a pen her way. "You've got to be kidding me. What is it now…oh. Hello?"

She frowned at the man in the white lab coat, trying to place his face.

Over the past week, Blair had seen one specialist after another. Nurses. Doctors. Psych consults. Cardiologists. Neurologists. Physical therapists. No this guy was new. Maybe he was in the wrong room.

"Miss Waldorf?" Maybe not.

"Yes, um…" She squinted at his name tag, her mouth forming the jumbled name. "Oh, I'm just going to massacre that."

He smiled, "Don't worry. I'm sure I've heard worse than you could imagine. Call me Gabriel."

"Okay." She shrugged. Dr. Will. Now Dr. Gabriel. Whatever. As long as she was getting out of there, it was fine with her. Besides, she needed to get him out of her room as quickly as possible, because if she didn't want to take the coming phone call in front of Lily, the girls, or Serena; Blair certainly had no intentions of doing it in the presence of a perfect stranger. "What can I do for you…did I need to sign something for you, as well?"

"No. Nothing like that. Your doctor...the attending on hand when you were admitted asked me to check over your charts before your release. Give you one final exam."

God, not another one. Jeez. She'd thought this part was over and done with. Why in the hell did they have her signing her all of those stupid papers if they were just going to stick her with another needle and hook her up to another damn machine.

An amused smile curved his mouth and she realized that the fire must have shown in her eyes, lit with all of her frustration. "No worries. It'll be quick and painless. If you'd just have a seat for me over there." He motioned to the hospital bed, "This won't even take more than five minutes."

Blair's eyes shifted between the phone and the doctor's face. She nodded, walking to the bed, feeling his light eyes heavy on her back. He was studying her, not quite flirting as Will was apt to do.

She tossed her dark hair and squared her shoulders. The man was making her uncomfortable but she wouldn't let him see that. Settling on the bed, Blair regarded him coolly. Her spine ramrod straight, "You're staring."

"Sorry. It's just very strange, seeing you up and about. Not many cases like yours end up this way, you know?" He said, unwinding his stethoscope from about his neck.

Oh, yeah. That. She'd gotten more than enough of those looks. She wasn't the second coming for godsakes. Miracles happened all the time. Blair rolled her eyes, "Yeah, a walking, talking miracle."

"Of modern medicine." He tucked the cold metal beneath her blouse making her flinch, "Sorry."

Blair frowned, "It's okay. What do you mean of modern medicine? Don't you believe that things just happen some times?" She could mock her miracle but who did this guy think he was doing the same.

"You'd be surprised at what modern medicine can accomplish." He said, caging her wrist in his hands as he took her pulse. "Research. Experimental drugs. Cutting edge techniques. You'd be surprised."

"You're probably right, but now of that applies here. I just woke up…well I scared the hell out of my family first."

"Your heart attack."

"Yes…" Her hand unconsciously drifted to her chest, eyes seeking the reassurance of that photograph and still silent cell phone.

"Well, you seemed to have made a remarkable recovery. Movements fluid and your strength…stamina building on track. You're doing well." He said, stepping back.

"And my heart?" She asked.

"Strong, steady beat. Blood pressure normal." He glanced over at the photograph, "That your family?"

She breathed easier, reassured and smiling, "Yes."

"Cute kids. They take after you I think."

"Sometimes."

He nodded, taking another step back.

"So clean bill of health?"

"Thanks to modern medicine." He repeated his earlier assessment, "I'd say it's time for you to go home."

Great. So could she just leave now. No. She was supposed to wait for Chuck and there was still her phone call. Besides, she was being transferred to the private hospital to start physical therapy _then_ home.

Blair turned away, already dismissing the doctor from her thoughts though he still remained in the room. But then he did the oddest thing, commanding her full attention as he offered a courtly bow. Reminding her of jesters and lords. Actors on stage after the curtain fell for the last time. Leaving her to watch him disappear into the hallway.

Hmm. What a strange little man, she smiled. And for a moment she forgot to be angry. Mindless to the upset and heartless words to be said. The levity seeped from her not more than a few seconds later as her phone finally trilled, reminding her of the hour.

~ஐ~

Dorota dragged in a deep breath and stood to her feet. Laughter ringing pure and true down the hall.

She heard their voices. The older couple joking and teasing one another. More in love than they were before on the night she'd stood up with them. The night Miss Blair had stood with them, ready to be a family.

Now their family was broken apart.

She heard the change. Miss Eleanor's frightened shriek. "Oh my God."

It was time.

"Cyrus. Call the police and tell them we've been…What? What is all this?" She was saying, surveying the boxes stacked high. Every stitch of fabric, article of clothing, and possession that Dorota had been able to identify as belonging to Miss Eleanor. The movers had packed it all and were standing by, waiting for their instructions.

"I don't understand. Where did it all come from?" Eleanor demanded, the fear still threaded in her words. Indignation that someone had infringed on her personal space.

Dorota sucked in one last fortifying breath and stepped out into the open. Her former employer catching sight of her almost immediately. The other woman's eyes, Miss Blair's eyes, wide and comprehending.

"You? What are you doing here?" She asked and motioned to the boxes, "What is all of this?"

"These are your things, Miss Eleanor."

"Excuse me."

"The boxes. It is everything from the apartment."

Now she was really confused, "What? the old apartment? But everything is in storage unless there was some type of problem…"

"Not old apartment. Your things from here…this place." Dorota waved her hand about the room.

"I don't understand." She repeated, but something creeping into her eyes…her daughter's eyes said otherwise. For her former employer reality was beginning to sink in. The what and why of it.

Dorota handed over the phone she'd been clutching and handed over another item from her pocket. "I was told to give you these things. You should call now. She is expecting you to…"

Eleanor's hands shook as she took the phone and the plane ticket from Dorota's hands.

The little man who loved Miss Blair like his own and had always been so nice to Dorota stepped forward, "Would someone like to tell me what's happening here?"

"She knows." Was all Eleanor would say. Could say. She cleared her throat, staring at the plane ticket that spelled out her sentence, punishment for crimes past. Exile. Worse than what Charles had done because this time it was her daughter. _Her _baby. That she knew. Deep down, she was sure. "You may go now, Dorota."

The maid curtsied, though she hadn't worked for Eleanor Waldorf-Rose in five long years, her eyes dropping to the floor, "Yes, Miss Eleanor."

Eleanor stared into her husband's eyes, barely breathing as she pressed the send button for the number already primed and ready. Three times it rang.

"Hello, Mother." The child. The woman answer, bereft of the wild anger that Eleanor was sure would be her reward.

Mother. The word, echoed in Blair's head as she waited on the other end of the line. It sounded so very wrong but in all the ways she'd practiced this particular conversation in her mind, nothing else seemed to fit. The bitterness welling inside, making a mockery of the cherished title. Mommy. Blair was Mommy. Eleanor never had been.

Blair cleared her throat, "I take it that Dorota was able to carry out my instructions. Your things…."

"Boxed up." Her mother provided hoarsely.

"And your one-way ticket back to London?"

"I have it."

Her daughter murmured her approval, "Good. Great. I'd like you to use it. And don't come back, _Mother."_

"Darling, don't do this…"

"Pretend I never woke up and that no one interfered with your plans of disposing of my disgrace. My children. Make believe that we don't even exist for you because after this phone call…you won't even become a bad memory. I won't think of you at all."

Eleanor stood frozen, listening to the voice. The cold creature who sounded so much like the daughter she loved. The daughter who'd just yesterday, acted like a giddy child when Eleanor invited herself to her girls' night. She wanted to toss the phone away and go back. Just twenty-four hours. Or further back, the night she'd told her sobbing child that she was no longer welcome in her own home.

"You don't have to worry about the boxes. The movers I hired will ship them all to the London house and Dorota will oversee the shipment of the things you still have in storage from the old apartment."

"I'm sorry." She turned away from the compassion in Cyrus' eyes, her gaze sweeping out the window, across the city. All she could see was her daughter's face. Last night and that last night at the old apartment. "Is that what you need to hear? I made a mistake. I know that now."

"Do you remember back then…one of the last things you did was call my children mistakes. And I couldn't hate you for it back then. I was angry but I still loved you. You were my mother."

"I'm still your mother"

"No, you're not. I have your blood. Your smile. Your eyes, but you're a stranger to me. You gave away my child."

"I thought it was for the best."

Now the chill broke, leaking the fire and anger below. "It wasn't what I wanted. Do you even begin to realize how badly things might've turned out? Do you even care?

"Of course I do. I love those little girls. Everything turned out okay. Thank God." She gripped tight onto the hand that Cyrus had taken hold of, as if he were her lifeline. "Everything turned out as it should have."

"You got lucky."

Eleanor tried again, "Please Blair. Don't do this. This isn't you. This is him. Charles was angry and he made me pay. He destroyed everything I worked for. I paid with my career."

The silence on the other end was unforgiving and without pity.

"Wasn't it enough? Hasn't this hell of the past five years been more than enough?"

"No."

"Blair."

"He isn't your daughter. You didn't hurt him…betray him, the way you betrayed me."

"Sweetheart. Let's sit down and talk about this. I didn't do everything right and I can only guess all that Charles has told you." Eleanor paced the floor, her mind working, trying to figure out the right words. What did Blair need to hear? What magic thing…word, could fix all the wrongs?

"Chuck has no idea that I even know the truth. I'm still not sure why he didn't tell me himself. Why he protected you."

Eleanor shook her head, "_I _was the last person that boy was intent on protecting. He loves you."

"Well, I don't need to be protect…or lied to. Not anymore."

"I understand that, Blair." The older woman nodded. "And we can only move forward from here. I swear…that I'm going to do everything that I can to make this up to you."

Blair cleared her throat, "There is no going forward from here. Use the plane ticket. I don't want you here. There's no place for you in my life. In Evie or Kat's lives…go back to London. Your business needs you more than we ever will. Just like old times."

"No. No. I absolutely refuse to believe that this cannot be fixed."

"Of course, you refuse. Wouldn't be you if you didn't insist on having your way." The girl smiled humorlessly. "Look. Just make things easier on everyone all around. Take the plane ticket. Don't come back to New York. Just get on with your life."

"And if I refuse…"

"Then I let Chuck finish what he started. Until there's nothing left."

"So you're threatening Cyrus now?"

Silence fell for a beat before her daughter replied, "That's up to you."

"I'm your mother dammit." Eleanor shouted, throat raw and aching.

"Amazing how little that means, isn't it?" Blair said, "Goodbye."

"Blair, sweetheart. Please wait…" the phone clicked off, leaving Eleanor to pace with dead air resounding in her ear, her eyes unable to avoid the cardboard boxes covering every surface.

"Eleanor?"

The cellphone was tugged away from the fingers gripping tight. Disbelief held her and all she could think about was the night before and the promise it had represented, for a new relationship with her daughter and with her granddaughters.

Now it was just gone.

She couldn't just leave things like this, could she? There had to be a way to fix it all. Someway to make it right.

But even as that thought formed, Lily's words rang in her ears again and Eleanor was certain that there was nothing.

~ஐ~

Chuck glanced down in disbelief. He frowned as the phone vibrated against his palm again. "McCarty."

"Bass. I heard you were looking for me." Now that was an understatement. For someone on the run, the bastard sounded a little too cocky for Chuck's liking.

"Yes. You could say that." He murmured drily. "I thought I'd let you know that I no longer needed your services. Do you believe in miracles, doctor?" Chuck asked, going for the ego and feigning ignorance to McCarty's role in B's awakening.

The man fell quiet and Chuck could almost watch the pallid bastard going red with his indignation.

Maybe if he pushed just the right buttons, the other man would something slip. Give Chuck some clue to pass on to Mike in tracking him down. Finding out the truth about Olivia George.

"Miracle?" The man finally sputtered.

"Yes. So you see…I no longer require your particular set of skills."

"And that's why you've been searching for me?" There was something hopeful in his tone, but his bruised ego remained ever present. "I didn't think you were the type of man who put store in rainbows and miracles."

Neither had Chuck. Not until he realized that for the first time in his life that someone gave a damn about him. And not just anyone. But Blair Waldorf. He'd started to believe then. Then again when he'd held Kat for the first time. And Evie took her first steps.

He'd never admit it, though. Not on pain of death and not to this asshole.

Chuck carried on, giving all outward appearance of utter boredom with the conversation, as if he'd tired of the entire game of cat-and-mouse and couldn't give less of a damn where the weasel might be hiding himself. "Why don't we get to the point of this little dance. Blair's awake. Your little experiment wasn't needed after all."

McCarty chocked on his disbelief. "Oh, yea? And just how do you think she got that way? How do you think she woke up?"

"I don't know." He said, smoothly twining lies with truth. "The doctors were just as amazed as the rest of us. Months ago, you yourself gave me the odds of her coming out of this on her own."

"Good. You remember."

"Of course. I'm shocked that you've forgotten. You tried to convince me to use B for a fucking guinea pig and ended up on your ass."

"I recall." The doctor retorted, barely keeping his growing hostility under wraps.

Chuck smiled and pushed again, "And I was right. We didn't need you after all. Blair fought her way out of it and came back to us on her own."

"That hell she did!"

Ding ding ding. Bingo. "Well, what else could it have been?" He murmured.

"Try my fucking genius…Dammit, Bass." McCarty fired off. "I thought you were smarter than this. I thought you understood that sometimes extremes are necessary in reaching the final goal. Science can be as cutthroat and full of risk as what you do. I thought that you could appreciate that fact."

Chuck felt as if he were reaching his own boiling point. Listening to McCarty spout off about taking risks and necessary extremes. The bastard had taken that fucking risk with Blair's life. His hand fisted, nailing digging grooves into the flesh of his palm, knuckles bleeding white. If the man had been standing in front of him in that moment, Chuck was almost certain that he could've happily maimed the fucker. "What are you trying to say, McCarty? You don't believe in miracles?" he hissed out.

"Hell no. You want to know how your girlfriend finally came back. I did that…" McCarty spat, "And you said that if I brought her back to you…you promised that I'd have all the funding that I ever needed."

"That I did, didn't I?" Chuck said, his voice dangerously low. "Well, I suppose I underestimated you…we must meet. You're right. I owe you so very much. You just have no idea." So very much that needs to be answered for, he added silently.

"Really?"

"Oh, definitely yes." He said, "My father always taught me that Bass men don't let their debts go unpaid. I owe you. Bigtime."

"So the funding is mine."

"We need to meet." Chuck's tone left no room for argument or alternative.

The good doctor hesitated for only a moment before agreeing. Too eager to have his ego stroked and "genius" applauded to sense the trap that lay in wait. "Of course. We can discuss my research. There's so much more."

And just who are you planning on experimenting next, you crazy fuck. God the man almost put Georgina to shame. Chuck held tight to his anger. For now, he needed the man.

Needed this link to Olivia George. McCarty was too wrapped up in his work. He was yet another investment and needed Chuck's capital but this Miss George was still likely behind the fires or had a damn good idea who was.

The good doctor didn't know it yet but he was going to lead Chuck straight to the answers that left him chomping at the bit.

"Where are you? I had leave town on business. I'm on the jet right now. Tell me where you are and I'll come to you." He could hear Blair's voice insisting that he get his ass "home" before the New Year or there'd be hell to pay. He thought of her party. The surprise. They could make it work. He'd figure it out. But no way could he let McCarty get away now. The idiot might smarten up and disappear again.

"Well…"

"Oh, for godsakes. Don't be coy. I'd like to shake the hand of the man who gave Blair back to me." And then beat your fucking face in for putting her in danger, in the first place.

His nails sank even deeper until he was sure that he'd draw blood, but he couldn't help it. Not with the memory of that phone call on Christmas Eve and learning of Blair's heart attack, playing on a loop in his head. Fearing that the worse had finally come to past and that he'd truly lost her. Yes. McCarty had much to answer but first he needed to get to the man.

"So you really get it. I was afraid that you wouldn't understand." The doctor laughed, his relief clear and unfettered. "Though. She's a beautiful girl. I understand what's driven you all these years."

"Yes, she is." He agreed, "Where are you?"

"I couldn't really be expected to stay away. I had to know. She didn't have a clue. She called it a miracle, too. You'd think her doctors would've known better. Men of science my ass…bunch of quacks. No wonder you're getting her out of that place."

Chuck almost felt his heart skip a beat as he finally understood what the bastard wasn't saying. He was in New York. Somehow, he'd gotten close to B. Seen her. Talked to her? "You've talk to Blair." He couldn't help the accusation in his words.

"How could I not? She represents my best work. Professional curiosity and all that. I needed a close-up. A look at her charts."

Well, maybe some good could come from this after all. He'd studied the charts. "The side effects of the drug. Her doctors weren't pulling up any abnormalities."

"And you didn't tell them about our little science experiment."

"No." Chuck gritted out.

"Good. Wouldn't want someone poaching all of my—our hardwork." McCarty said.

"Of course not." Chuck cleared his throat. "Listen. I'm still a few hours out but I definitely want to meet up. We've got a lot to talk about, doctor."

"Well…"

"Why don't you go to the Palace. I'll call ahead. Have them reserve one of our finest suites in your name. I'll need to get Blair settled at home but we can talk about what happens next with all of _your _hardwork and research."

And so it was. Chuck was finally making some headway in this thing. He stroked the man's ego, laying the trap further, pushing him where Chuck needed him cornered until he could get back stateside. The minute he hung up with quack, Chuck was dialing Joseph's number. Ensuring that the bodyguard was watching out for Blair or keeping an eye out for McCarty if he came back to the hospital.

Finally McCarty agreed, saying that he was headed for the Palace as soon as they hung up. Chuck's first action after hanging up with the man was to try Nate but he got his friend's voicemail instead. Then he found himself dialing Humphrey's number. Brooklyn was full of questions that Chuck managed to dodge, but soon enough the other man was promising to keep tabs on McCarty.

His next call was to the Palace as he'd assured the good doctor, making arrangements. His people would gild the cage, treat McCarty like an effing rockstar before Chuck finally arrived to collect his due.

Finally. Something seemed to be working out. About damn time.

~ஐ~

It was the very last place he should've been. Well almost.

Hell, if he had any sense he'd have listened to the Lieu's words. Or orders and gone straight back to the suite. Get his head together. Nate grabbed at his still aching head.

He could make things easier on himself and head back to the Palace. Take something for his headache and get some rest. There was Lieu and the job to deal with tomorrow. And tonight he'd have to put on his best face for Blair's surprise party.

Instead of leaving the bar, he signaled the bartender and grabbed a stool. Just a beer. He'd stay for a beer and then let good sense prevail. Just that long.

But Nate didn't touch his beer. Instead he sat there, staring sightlessly at the hands gripping the sweating glass. He didn't hear the buzz of conversation going on around him or feel the jostle of bodies as more and more people flowed in for lunch or getting ready for the night's coming festivities.

He was too lost in himself and the train wreck that his life was beginning to resemble. Had it really been a few weeks ago that he'd thought he had everything that he could want in life? Sure he and Vanessa had been having their issues, but nothing that would mean the end of a marriage. God. He'd been wrong. So wrong.

While he'd been busy building surprises built on promises of love and fidelity and of forever, she'd been off screwing Carter Baizen.

Hadn't it been enough that one of his oldest friends had fallen for the guy's line of bull? He loved Alex like his own, but Carter was the last person in the world that he'd have wanted Serena tied to. And he knew how badly Vanessa had been dealing with the miscarriages. He'd have to have been deaf, dumb, and blind not to see that she was falling apart but he'd thought that it could all be fixed. Made right somehow. Reaffirming his commitment to her, by showing her that they could survive without children of their own. He'd looked into alternatives like adoption. Chuck shared not a strand of DNA with Serena or Eric but they were close, tighter than the real thing. It could've worked for him and Vanessa, too.s

They could adopt and not have to face torturous months of wondering if history would repeat itself and take another child away from them.

It didn't matter now. Not his plans or the life they'd built.

Now he had to move on and pick up the piece of what was left. Like his job. And the divorce. Which reminded him. He still hadn't heard anything from his grandfather, so it was simply a matter of time.

Cursing softly, Nate pushed away his untouched beer and reached for his wallet. Leaving a heafty tip for the drink he hadn't taken.

Though with the task of dealing with his grandfather at hand, maybe he should've stuck around for a few drinks after all.

Nate made a grab for his sunglasses as he stepped out into the midday glare. Still the world of dim light and shadowed faces were like an army of piercing needles. Almost as if some novice had decided to try out her hand in acupuncture on the surface of his skull. A very untalented novice, he flinched, eyes squinting even with the protection of tinted lenses.

The Palace first. He'd head for the suite and get a few more hours of sleep before he _had _to make himself presentable. After putting in an appearance at the Vanderbilt's annual New Year's soiree and making his grandfather extremely happy with the news of his ending marriage, he'd head to Chuck's for the party.

So wrapped up in himself, Nate almost didn't see them. Almost walked right on top of them. The hair was dark and curly but the voice was wrong. Her body was all wrong. But the bastard shoving his tongue down the woman's throat was undeniably Carter.

Son-of-a-bitch.

"Come back to my place." The woman entreated as she pulled back. "We'll have it all to ourselves."

Carter made a sound of regret, his body still pinning hers in the open door of the taxi. "Can't. You know I can't."

"Leave the brat with you parents for a few more hours."

"And have his mother jump down my throat yet again. No thank you." Carter laughed, "No. I need to go. My mother has called twice already and I'm sure Serena will be checking up on my whereabouts any minute now."

"I was looking forward to having you all to myself this afternoon."

"Sorry, but I can't oblige you this time, beautiful. Now tonight could be a different matter. Why don't you come over later? I could call you once the kid's asleep."

His companion shook her head, smiling her regret. "Sorry, baby. But I've got familial obligations myself. I was able to talk Tom into taking the girls ahead without me so that I could work on this merger…"

"And a very pleasurable one it's been." Carter chuckled, leaning in for another kiss.

Nate watched as the woman wrapped her arms around Carter's neck, pulling him closer to deepen their embrace. She looked fully prepared to mount him right then and there. The gold band glinting on her left hand, making Nate's belly twist, his hands fist at his side.

He couldn't help picturing Vanessa's face on the disgusting tableau playing out in front of him. Had it been like this. She dishonoring them both, right there in broad daylight.

God and with Carter. Damned if that didn't just make the knife in his gut twist all the more painfully. Had she done it purposefully, chosen _him _or had it been a matter of convenience on her part. And Carter. Had the bastard gotten a thrill because it was Nate's wife in his bed or had it been business as usual?

In that moment, Nate wanted nothing more than to push through the four bodies, take those final steps that separated them and bury his fist in the other man's face.

"Come with me. Let me drop you at your parents. I'm not ready to let go yet."

Carter stepped back and held the cab door open for her, but she didn't move. Her eyes questioning his intent. "Would hate to disappoint a lady," he said winning a smile.

She ducked inside and Nate felt his feet working ahead of his brain. Arms gently shoving obstacles from his path before intent and action could fully meet, leaving reason far behind. What really sealed it though was the instant when the bastard look around. As if he knew to be wary, watching his back.

His eyes caught with the fury and dark promise lurking in Nate's expression. The other man quirked a brow, his mouth tipping up and stretching into a slow smile. He threw off an audacious wink before slipping into the cab at his lover's side, leaving Nate standing just an arm's length away.

From inside the cab, still sporting that smug grin, Carter motioned for Nate to call him. Then they were gone. Cab pulling into traffic, carrying the sweet relief it would've been to just unleash all of his frustrations on that son-of-a-bitch. He couldn't hit Vanessa, as much as, he sorely wanted to just throttle her but Baizen was fair game.

Hands clenched at his side, breathing in ragged huffs as if he'd just raced a marathon, Nate's thoughts centered no longer on his grandfather, Blair's party, or even Vanessa.

All he could see was red and Carter Baizen's face.

~ஐ~

Her nails tapped out an impatient beat. Drumming away nerves and a beat with no song until the floor nurse looked up from the chart she'd been studying.

"Miss Waldorf. Why not just go back to your room? I've paged Dr. Chambers twice already. I'm sure he'll be here any moment to sign your release papers."

The brunette didn't say a word or change her leaning stance against the nurses' station. She'd been waiting long enough and now she wanted out of this place. She wanted to be on her way and gone before her mother could decide to plead her case in purpose. Granted her mother would likely just show up at the private hospital but shouldn't her security be better once there.

She couldn't stay in her room anymore or she was likely to start pulling her hair out. Serena still hadn't gotten back and Chuck wasn't back yet. She was supposed to wait for him but she was done waiting. She'd spent five years sleeping her life away and now it was time to take matters into her own hands and get things moving.

"Miss Waldorf…"

Blair smiled, offering the same sweet poison in her eyes that had won her the title of Queen B back at Constance.

The nurse threw up her hands and reached for the phone. "Fine. One more time and then you have to go back to your room.

Her mouth curved further and she made no promises. Blair did step back, letting her hands fall to her sides.

The page went out again, over the intercom system and the nurse glanced expectantly at the brunette who wasn't already making her way back to her hospital room. Fed up with dealing with the other woman, the nurse grabbed her charts and started around the desk.

"Where are you going?" Blair demanded.

"I've got other patients to check on. You don't move a muscle. You can't leave until Dr. Chambers signs off on it." She reminded.

"Well, I guess he'd better get front and center, no?"

"I'll be back."

"Take your time."

If she'd known the address for the private hospital, Blair might've given up on waiting for Chambers to come sign the last few pages. Where in the hell was he? And what the hell was so important that Chuck couldn't wait another day, rather than leave her there waiting?

Her mother would come. Of that she had little doubt. No one but no one dictated terms to Eleanor Waldorf-Rose.

Well, that was just too bad. Blair had made her decision. Just talking to the older woman on the phone had been hard enough but to have to face her now. Now that she knew the truth was impossible. What her mother had done…

Blair shook her head, wanting to forget or believe that it was all some horrible mistake. She wanted to go back to being that child who believe unequivocally in "happily ever after" and in mothers who loved without condition, but that was impossible.

The most she could do was be a better mother than her own.

"Blair."

Finally! She twisted at the sound of Chamber's voice.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Waiting for you."

"You wouldn't happen to know where the nurse is?" His gaze swept her from head to toe, his suspicion evident. "Would you? Or why she paged me."

"Guilty."

He shook his head, his expression indulgent. "That anxious to get out of here, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"Where's Bass?" He glanced around.

"He's out of town."

Brow furrowed, Chambers ran a hand through his hair. "Out of town." He parroted her words.

"Yes." Blair snapped. "Sorry. I—look I just want to get out of this place. That can't be too much to ask for. And well…maybe the address for the private hospital that's supposed to be 'home' for the next few months. Well the address and cabfare."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

She didn't say anything, merely raised her brows.

"What about your friend? The blonde?"

"I can't wait for Serena. I need to go now—I need to leave _now." _Something of her spiraling emotions must have slipped through and finally convinced the doctor that she meant business.

"Fine, we'll go."

"We?"

"Yes. I can drop you off. Why don't you go grab your things, while I make a few phone calls? Get someone to cover my patients."

"That won't be necessary."

"Actually it will. You're obviously upset and I don't want another repeat of the first day you woke up."

The panic attack? Clawing need for breath and traction. She didn't feel the grip of confusion clogging her throat this time. No instead she felt anger and unhappiness. Emotions she could deal with. "Look. Doctor."

"If you want me signing any papers showing your release, you'll have to work with me here."

"Fine, but my things are already packed. I'm going to say goodbye to Estelle."

"Good idea. It'd break her heart if you didn't."

"I wasn't going to just leave without saying anything at all."

"Well go. I'll be there shortly."

Blair obviously didn't appreciate being shooed off but she made no protests and kept her glares to a minimum.

He waited until she was out of sight before he pulled out his cell phone. The call was answered almost immediately, "It's me."

"I recognized the number." The woman said.

"We've got a problem. A really big problem."

~ஐ~

Henderson glared over at the empty desk. A habit that had gotten worse throughout the day. It was Archibald's fault. The Lieu would've never have gotten into his face like that if it'd have been anyone other than Richie Rich. The older man wouldn't have stepped in and embarrassed him in front of the entire fucking squadroom like that. Not if it'd been any other officer in the fucking place.

He'd hoped that it wasn't the case but it looked as if Grandpa Moneybags had gotten to the lieutenant now too. Paving the way for the upstart. Fast track my ass, Henderson thought.

Everyone was certain that in another year or so, Archibald was going to make detective and with friends like Chuck Bass and his family paying his way, how could he possibly screw that up.

He smiled, remembering that all was quite as perfect as Archibald would have them believe. Trouble with the wife and no one seemed to know. It was interesting to say the least.

The phone he'd been playing with minutes before; shook, rattled, and rolled out an old AC/DC song.

_'Cause I'm  
(T.N.T.) I'm dynamite  
(T.N.T.) And I'll win the fight  
(T.N.T.) I'm a power load  
(T.N.T.) Watch me explode_

Henderson smiled, reaching for the phone. Only one person it could be. "Hey, baby."

She was quiet at first, the soft huff of breath and air a speaking reprimand against any terms of endearment between them.

"So," he cleared his throat. "Where are you?"

"Taking care of that project that I told you about. What about you?"

"Work."

"The station. Good. That's good. So no unscheduled…err trips?"

"No, Georg…um no. I promised you I wouldn't, didn't I?"

"That you did." Georgina said, not even jumping on him for almost saying her name.

"Did Ba…um. Did he show?"

Now his bitch sounded satisfied as she purred, "Yes, he did. And as far as he's concerned. I've been in this place the whole time."

"Good. So they'll be off-track again. Won't know what hit until…" He looked around, lowering his voice. He was too excited to contain himself. Georgina did this to him. Her and the fires. No one was close enough to detect his glee, though.

"Yes. Chuck and the others won't see us coming. Not really." She sighed, "Speaking of which. I've got a little something I need you to handle for me. Are you up to it?"

"Tell me."

She laughed, "You've been such a good boy lately and since it's the New Year. I think I'll let you off of your leash for a bit. What do you think of that?"

"What do you want me to do?"

**ஐTBCஐ**

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it. Tried not to be too too over the top with the B/Eleanor confrontation but sometimes I can't help myself. So what do you think of Blair's revenge...deserving or too cold or not enough? ;) McCarty paid a little visit to Blair and Chuck's hundreds of miles away. Nate was faced with the man his wife slept with, a man he's hated like no one else and Carter was quite smug in his attitude about the whole thing. And Nate's fellow officer…Henderson, Georgina's lover and partner. As for our Queen, heading off with Dr Feelgood but who in the world did he call? Could the doctor be yet another in Georgie's pocket. Okay hope you liked it. As always let me know what you thought and I have another chapter all but ready to go…will most DEFINITELY post it tomorrow after work. Later bbs *kiss*

Oh…yes. Disclaimer. Do not own AC/DC's _TNT_…was going to use _The Girl's Got Rhythm_…but TNT seemed to fit better. Here it is though. Just in case. I do not own this one either :D

_She's like a lethal brand  
Too much for any man  
She gives me first degree  
She really satisfies me  
Love me till I'm legless  
Aching and sore  
Enough to stop a freight train  
Or start the Third World War  
You know I'm losin sleep  
I'm in too deep_

Hmm...that could fit even better for CB... and the limo, the chorus does repeat backseat rhythm...okay I'm done. Promise. Bed now *lol*

ஐCourtneyஐ


	31. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N: **Next chapter as promised. Glad you guys enjoyed the last installment and thanks for all of your wonder words. It always helps. So here it is…I won't make you wait any longer than necessary. Love you guys to pieces. Kisses to Wifey and my girls.

* * *

**ஐChapter 30**

"Damn. I said I was leaving." Dan repeated but found himself talking to dead air. That asshole had hung up on him. First he'd called asking sfor a favor and then had the nerve to hang up in Dan's ear. Typical Chuck Bass move.

Despite his less than favorable thoughts, Dan was on his feet. He was shrugging on his coat when Jenny came back from giving Vanessa the grand tour of her new apartment.

It was one of those rare times when Jenny seemed to have forgotten the fire and the looming pall of uncertainty when it came to her career in fashion. She was actually excited about something and that more than anything cured him of any ancient resentments left over from his days at St. Jude's. Well, most of them.

Though it was the reason her shop had been targeted, Chuck had helped her make her long held dream a reality. Chuck Bass had his faults, but he wasn't a bad guy. Not by a longshot. Dan had learned that well enough years ago after a little male bonding that could only be the product of bar fights and incarceration.

Sure, he and Bass would probably never be best friends but he couldn't hate the guy. never be best friends but he couldn't hate the man. Because he'd helped Jenny get her start and amidst her devastation, she'd brightened, reminding him of the sweet, innocent kid she'd been in their younger years. Before all the broken hearts and turf wars for status among the mean girls.

He'd seen it in her eyes. That light and her smile when they'd walked into the apartment Chuck had arranged for. It was, of course, in one of the many Bass properties in the city, but this building was a far cry from the charred remains of Jennifer's. Except it was completely different. The address upscale. Security and elegance on par with that of the Palace.

Dan didn't envy the other man. Not the sense of guilt he tried cover up with that "go to hell" bravado. Not the uncertainty of never knowing if this was the moment when his personal menace would strike out …against some or someone of infinitely more value to the young billionaire.

"Hey, where do you think you're going, mister?" Vanessa demanded, her tone light and playful despite the dark circles under her eyes.

"I—uh. There's an errand I need to take care of…" Dan said.

"What errand? You don't even live here anymore and I swear you've been constantly on the run." Vanessa said

"He has, hasn't he?" His sister jumped in, her words teasing. "_Errand_ wouldn't be code for hot date with a certain leggy blonde you dated eons past. Would it?"

Dan rolled his eyes. God, he wished. He'd been back for almost two weeks and he'd spent far too few of those hours in the company of his former girlfriend. The night before couldn't really be counted either. They'd been too preoccupied with searching for Nate to have an actual conversation. When that is, she wasn't dozing in the back of the cab, city lights dancing across her pale skin.

More than once, he'd found himself wishing that they'd been forced into that enclosed space under a different set of circumstances. Wasn't it just as well though, that they had no room to push the boundaries of their…renewed friendship further?

Hell, if not for the fire, he'd have already been back in Chicago. Neck-deep in obits and society pages. Only now that he was back in New York and far away from the mind-numbing demands of his job and dream of making a name for himself, only could he acknowledge just how much he missed…home. New York. Papaya's and Jenny only a cab ride away. Hell even trading barbs with Chuck Bass.

How different would life have been for those closest to him, if he'd actually been around? Would his best friend have imploded her life if he'd been close enough to see what was happening and to _really_ listen to what she had to say. To push her into talking to Nate before Baizen's sorry ass even got near her.

And Serena. What if he'd listened to Blair that long ago day and stuck around to say goodbye.

Thinking back, Dan knew that there was a very good chance that he might not have made it to Berkeley after all. And on some subconscious level, he'd known that. He'd been aware. And so he'd played the coward and left without saying a word to Serena.

He'd done the college thing. Had more than one relationship. Some more serious than others but no one had gotten to him in quite the same way as Serena van der Woodsen. One of his college girlfriends had even joked about the blonde who'd ruined him for them all.

Only sometimes she'd seemed deadly seriously in that pronouncement. As if sentencing him to a lifetime of pining after the one who'd gotten away. Serena. During a drunken heart-to-heart, he'd confided all that'd gone wrong in their relationship. The shit they just couldn't get right even when all the feelings were there. When they were so much more together.

Of course, he'd broken up with _that _girlfriend, not long after their little night of true confessions. Or rather she stopped returning his phone calls.

There were so many reasons why he and Serena couldn't go back. Shouldn't go back. Discussions they'd never had. Old heartache that didn't bear revisiting. Why dredge up the past if he was just heading back to Chicago when all was said and done?

Thinking of watching Serena sleeping and having breakfast with her, Dan wanted more. Suddenly, he was very much looking forward to the coming party at Chuck's. Sure it was Jenny who'd gotten the invite but Serena expected him to be there nonetheless. She'd asked him that morning, sleep-eyed and languid when he'd dropped her off back at the hospital.

Unbidden, his conversation with Blair came back to him. Their last words before her coma, when she confided in him of all people about the phone call from Chuck on graduation night.

"_He didn't say anything. There was some weird music in the background…and I could hear him breathing, but he wouldn't say anything. Not even after I called him a 'coward'. He didn't say anything." She'd fumbled for the remote and switched off the movie. "I'm going upstairs. You can wait down here for Serena or not."_

But he hadn't waited. He'd played it safe. Leaving Blair likely lumping him in with Chuck as a coward. Now years later, Dan couldn't help feel that he was doing the same thing. Running away from Serena. He didn't want to do it. Be that. Not anymore.

"Jen, I'll be back to pick you up in a few hours. Vanessa, can you make sure she takes a nap."

"I'm not a baby, Dan. I don't need a nap."

"Sorry, Jen. Nap or no party."

"What are you going to do? Rat me out to dad and get me grounded. Oh wait. I forgot. I'm not sixteen or five anymore." Jenny said. "Darn."

Dan turned to his best friend. "I'll handle it," she assured.

"Thanks," he kissed them both and left to do Chuck Bass' bidding. Which sounded wrong on so many levels.

It wasn't a big deal. He was just supposed to keep an eye on some doctor. Chuck hadn't really said how the guy might be connected to the fires. Actually he hadn't said much at all. He wondered why Nate hadn't been called in on the impromptu stakeout, but then he remembered that the other man was supposed to be working.

Dan wondered just how Archibald was faring after his night on the town. Twice already, he'd started to call the other man, but figured that right about now, he was one of the last people that Nate might want to hear from. An unwelcome reminder of what'd gone down between he and Vanessa.

He figured that there would be more than enough opportunity for awkward moments later.

The apartment was quiet after Dan rushed out and despite what she'd told her brother, Jenny felt exhausted. From inside out.

She'd taken pain pills earlier, which made her sleepy but just the effort of keeping up pretenses for her big brother was a pain unto itself. Jenny felt positively drained after spending most of the morning and early afternoon hours with her family and Vanessa. Her father had left an hour before and now Dan was off on yet another mystery errand.

Jenny wished that he'd have taken Vanessa along with him. She loved the other woman. Vanessa was pretty much one of the family but Jenny didn't feel up to dealing with anyone right then. All morning she'd been playing around with the idea of not going to Blair's surprise party but she couldn't.

Dan was beyond excited. Sure he'd tried to play it cool but Jenny knew that his good mood had everything to do Serena. Many things in their lives had changed but this was not one of them.

So she'd go tonight. She'd go and smile and make light conversation, even if it had little to do with what she was feeling.

Jenny looked around her new apartment and felt a measure of her old enthusiasm return. What it felt like when a new idea for a design was just coming to her or that twinge of uncertainty and excitement that hit square in the belly when you met someone new. She felt that same almost joy try to kindle but then the pain in her right side would remind her just why the world was all wrong.

It was a beautiful apartment really. Everything that she'd always wanted. There was even a room that could be transformed into the perfect studio when she was ready. If she was ever ready to begin again.

She glanced down at her right hand.

Shaking herself, as if from a dream. A nightmare.

Jenny glanced down the other end of the sofa and found Vanessa gone. She saw the other woman standing at the window. Looking out at the picturesque view of the city.

The young blondes hadn't even felt the shift in the air, telling her that Vanessa had moved across the room. It seemed that she wasn't the only one distracted. That was fine. One less person to hover and ask how she was feeling.

She played around with the idea of excusing herself and claiming to take that nap Dan had been trying to push on her. Not that Vanessa would even notice if she tried slipping from the room.

The other girl was just as out of it as she was. Going through the motions. Her own scars unseen and self-inflicted.

Jenny sighed. She'd only heard bits and pieces of all that had gone down the night before. She opened her mouth, but snapped it shut. The inadequate query of "are you okay?" frozen on her tongue. Instead she heard herself squeak out, "I'm all ears if you feel like talking."

Vanessa turned, frowning at her, "What?"

Her body might've been tired and feeling pain but she wasn't the least bit sleepy. No need to run off and lay in her bedroom, trapped in her own head. She repeated her words.

"You don't want to hear about my problems, Jenny."

"Oh, you have no idea. Dan told me about Carter and Nate flipping out."

The dark-haired girl looked away, her arms wrapped about her body. At first Jenny was sure that she wouldn't speak again. "It was horrible. You should've seen how he looked at me. Not just like he hated me but exactly that."

"He doesn't hate you, Vanessa."

"You didn't see his face. Yes, he does." She wandered away from the window to bounce down at Jenny side. "Do you want to know the worse thing?"

"What?"

"I think a part of me…some part that blamed him for everything going wrong, set out to hurt him. Wanted to cause him pain."

"I don't believe that. I think you were hurting and made some horrible mistakes." Jenny said. "You need to forgive yourself."

"Jenny. You don't get it and thanks for trying to be my friend and make me feel better but…"

The blonde shook her head, "I'm not telling you this as your friend. This isn't me taking sides. Yes, you've been a part of my family for about far back as I can remember but Nate's been a really good friend to me over the years. And I hate what you did to him. But the only thing you can do now is move on with your life and that can't happen until you forgive yourself."

"How can I? He'll never…"

"Vanessa, I'm saying forget about him for a minute. You said he asked for a divorce. Do you think he really meant it?"

The other woman avoided her eyes and Jenny almost began to wonder if she'd get an answer at all. Then Vanessa nodded, her head bobbing in one jerky motion.

"Then you need to start letting go. Trust me. Burying your head in the sand will only make things worse." Jenny revealed, offering something of her troubles. Vanessa needed to accept that her marriage was over and Jenny needed to master the same acceptance when it came to the loss of her career. Or rather her career as it had been. She didn't want to lose that part of her life. Shut herself off from her designs.

So that meant finding a way to accept the change and adapt.

"You're right. I know this. But knowing and doing are two different things." Vanessa said.

Blue eyes darted to the older girl's face, searching out some hidden meaning. Wondering if this was Vanessa way of nudging her to practice what she was preaching, but no. Her friend was still too wrapped up in her own problems to actually pick up on anything else.

Days before, Chuck had insisted that she let him know when she was ready to get back to work. At first, she'd honestly thought he was either joking or being an insensitive jackass, but his expression had been deadly serious.

Obviously he was fully aware that her hand would be an issue and it'd seemed as if maybe Chuck had something up his sleeve.

Tonight. She'd ask him what he intended.

"God, Jenny. I don't know how I'm going to do this."

The blonde smiled, reaching out with her uninjured hand, "I'll help you."

~ஐ~

"No one actually drives in New York, you know."

Hands loosely gripping the steering wheel, Will glanced around, as if drinking everything in. "Hmm. Wow. You could've fooled me. I thought we were stuck in traffic. Oh, wait. That was your point, right. Little joke."

Blair sighed, "No. I meant that no one actually drives in the city."

"You don't drive. Others who can't afford their own personal drivers don't have much choice in the matter."

She frowned, watching as he checked his wristwatch. Again. "You really didn't have to chauffer me around. I could've called Chuck's driver or gotten a cab."

"It's no problem. I wanted to see this place anyway." the doctor assured, "Make sure my patient will be in good hands."

"Well, where is this place? It feels like we've been driving forever."

"And that would be the problem with traffic." He teased, his expression sobering as he studied her troubled expression. "So…"

She glanced his way when he drifted off with that. He seemed to be puzzling over something. "What is it?"

"Nothing. I was just—really surprised that you didn't wait for Bass." Will admitted.

"I needed to get out of there."

"Did you two have a fight?" Will cleared his throat, glancing at her now and again. "You seemed pretty upset back at the hospital."

Blair stared at him, before shaking her head with a smile.

"What?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, but felt the fine edge of hysteria creeping into her words as she spoke. "It's nothing really. You just sound entirely too hopeful."

"Hmm. Really? Sorry, about that." He looked away from her with a guilty smile. A split second later he was watching her again, his expression alluding to nothing more than friendly concern. "How's that?"

"Better."

"Good. So. If not Bass. Are you going to tell me just what had you so upset?"

"You are really nosey."

"Let's call it professional curiosity. Your health is of the utmost importance to me. Mental…emotional…physical."

"Don't you people take an oath or something that keeps you from flirting with your patients?" Blair questioned.

"That's leans to more physical activities. Everything else is fair game," he said.

"Of course."

"Though. Officially. You aren't my patient anymore." Will reminded her.

Blair rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself. "Quit it. I may not be another chart in your stack of rounds but _I'm _not fair game."

"You were never _just _a chart." He teased, but quickly added. "So it's Bass, huh?"

"Sorry to break it to you, Doc, but you never stood a chance."

He shrugged at that, "A guy can hope."

They went on like that. Joking back in forth. Dancing around the true reason for her upset earlier and she let him play at distracting her. Anything not to think about Eleanor.

She wondered if her mother had arrived at the hospital yet. Intent on stating her case and wearing Blair down. Finding nothing more than an empty room and the rest of Blair's bags.

Her doctor teased and flirted but he didn't push her. He didn't bring up Chuck again either. Traffic crawled along and more than once, she looked over in time to catch him checking his time or glancing down at his cell phone.

After the fifth time she finally called him on it. "Who was that?"

"What?"

"On your phone. Who was that calling?" Blair asked, "You keep checking your watch like every five minutes. Do you…do you have a hot date or something?"

"Well…"

"You do, don't you? Why didn't you just say something before?" She demanded, not really upset or angry. For the most part, Blair felt slightly curious over some of his actions and words since they'd left St. Vincent's.

"It's not really a date, per se. I am supposed to be meeting someone and it's not all that far from here. Would you mind if we stopped?" Will asked, checking his watch. _Again. _

Was handsome Dr. Will actually nervous about something? Blind date? Old girlfriend?

She couldn't see him ever needing to be set up and figured it was likely the latter.

Blair motioned for him to lead on. All the while, wondering at the kind of woman who could make cocky, Dr. Will as nervous as a school boy.

~ஐ~

He was a patient man. A calm and reasonable man.

He didn't flip out or go into panic mode when he called her phone and got no answer or even when a call to her room netted him the same results.

Did he jump down the nurse's throat when she'd confided that Blair had left the premises with Chambers almost an hour before? No. Because, he was calm and reasonable, goddamn it.

He was polite. Thanking the woman and hanging up in her ear, disappointing any expectations that he would react as before, calling them all incompetent fools who shouldn't even been entrusted with the care of a fucking hamster.

Not this time. No, he'd played it cool, tamping down on the anger and frustration, twining in his chest. Instead, Chuck called Joseph. This was why he'd called in the professional, wasn't it? Keeping an eye on Blair. Make sure that his enemies. His father's enemies couldn't touch her.

When the bodyguard assured him that she was safe and sound, Chuck trusted the man. He wanted to wring that bastard Chambers neck but the fucking doctor wasn't the one who'd instigated the escapade.

Of that Chuck was certain. Despite her promises not to pursue this thing with Eleanor and to wait for him before she confronted her mother, she was doing it. Chuck had miscalculated earlier, forgetting that patience had never been one of Blair's virtues.

His plane was still hours out and he'd make it back to New York as promised but not in time to stop Blair from confronting her mother. She'd probably flirted and sweet talked the doctor, using his obvious attraction against him to get the fucker to do her bidding. Get her to Eleanor, so that she could demand her precious answers.

What would Eleanor say? How would she try to deflect and deny her crimes? And God. Blair.

The truth would devastate. She wouldn't be all too happy with him for keeping it from her either. Not if her explosive reaction on Christmas day was anything to go by. She'd been pissed to find that Eleanor and company had held back the fact that rather than five months, five years had been lost.

What the hell was going to happen when Blair discovered that had Eleanor gotten what she'd wanted five years ago that they'd have missed even more than that time with their little girls? That besides missing first steps, first words, and first days of school, Eleanor had intended that they miss Evie and Kat's entire lives.

Fuck. The thought of never hearing them call him "Daddy" still had the power to drive him crazy. That alone had fueled him during their little war over the years.

"Blair, you should've waited for me. You have no idea what you're walking into." And that was on him.

~ஐ~

Juggling her keys and her purse, Vanessa cursed softly. She'd left Jenny's apartment, the blonde knocked out on her couch and leaving Vanessa with a lot to think about.

The younger woman had been right. She needed to let go. Start moving on with her life, but she wasn't sure how to get started.

"Need some help?"

Vanessa frowned, her body going stock-still. She was sure that she'd imagined the words spoken. That voice. Because no way in hell would he even…

Footfalls sounded, padding lightly up the steps and a hand settled on the curve of her hip.

God. Who was she kidding? The bastard would dare much and she'd slept with him. Far too many times.

"Hello, Vanessa." Carter smiled down at her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Playing the gentleman," he snagged the keys from her nerveless fingers. "allow me."

"Hey, give those back." She darted in his way, holding out her hand. "I don't want or need your help. You shouldn't even be here."

Carter started to drop them into her palm, only to snatch them away when she reached up for them. "What's wrong? Afraid good ol' Natie'll come home early and find me here."

"Carter. I can't deal with you right now."

"Too bad. We need to talk."

"There's nothing to say." Hadn't she made that clear enough by not returning any of his calls? And why the hell was he still calling anyway? She knew guys like Carter Baizen. Indulging in the chase only long enough to get what he wanted.

He couldn't possibly have feelings for her, could he? God, that was the last thing she needed right now.

"Oh. I think we have a lot to talk about. You should probably ask me inside before your nosey neighbor comes out to investigate. Wouldn't want her to call Natie, would we? He might get suspicious." Carter whispered the last, full of secrets and conspiracy but then his expression changed, "Oh, wait. He already knows."

Vanessa stared at him, not quite sure she understood the triumph in his eyes.

"You told him. I didn't think you would actually do it." Carter said, "I was so sure that I'd have to look into other means of making that happen. You were so insistent that he never know about me. About us."

"Oh..." She shook her head, wanting to deny the gloating in his tone. "Oh my god."

"It was so much easier getting information circulated when you people were back in high school."

The truth finally clicked and she understood, "You wanted him to find out. You—you seduced me to get at Nate."

Carter held up his hands in, "Hey, I was the one getting used. Why shouldn't I have gotten something out of our time together, as well? Nate and I had a few old scores to settled. Bass, too, but his time will come."

"You son-of-a-bitch." She tried to strikeout, her hand slashing for his face but he latched on. Tugging her close, his mouth brushing a kiss against her ear.

He held her struggling form immobile against his, one arm clamped about her waist. "Couldn't have done it without you, babe."

"You used me." She murmured, thinking of all the times she betrayed Nate. Needing to strike out against him. A part of her wanting to cause him pain and now Carter was telling her that he'd been acting with the same intent.

"I saw your better half earlier, you know. Man, if looks could kill."

"Wait. You saw Nate. Where? What'd you say to him?" She shoved at him.

Carter laughed, "What did I say. Oh, sorry but I wasn't stopping to chitchat with the man. He looked like he wanted to shoot me and I don't have to remind you that the guy carries a gun for a living, do I?"

"Get your hands off of me." Vanessa managed to get distance between them, snatching her keys at the last moment. "Nate would never…"

"Oh. You wouldn't imagine the things that some people could do with just the right provocation. I'm thinking I'll be taking a little trip after tonight." Carter stepped back, leaning negligently against the baluster. "I could use the company if you were considering getting away yourself."

"Go to hell."

"Nope. Sorry, not on the itinerary." He said, "No, I was thinking the Maldives or the South of France, even. Beautiful this time of year. Sure you don't want to come?"

"If you don't get the hell away from my home, I'm going to call the fucking police." She reached into her purse again.

"That should go over well. How long before you think Natie would find out that I was here. Standing outside his house. With his wife. Bet you didn't tell him _everything _that you and I did together. Forget the cops, maybe I should just give him a call myself."

"I ha…"

"hate me." Carter finished for her. "Yeah, I'm getting that one loud and clear. Oh, well. I'm sure that I can find someone else who wouldn't mind lazying the day away with me in some exotic locale."

Vanessa looked ready to throw something, but there was nothing lighter than the stone planter at her elbow and she wasn't relinquishing her keys again. But he was right. She also didn't want to call in the police. Didn't want Nate to know how she'd let herself be used by this bastard. Still she took out her cell phone and dialed three digits, her finger hovering over the "send" key.

"I'm going. Maybe I'll drop you a line when I get back in town."

"I'll be sure to change my number." Again.

He backed down the stairs and waved, a jaunt to his step as he walked away that made her want to heave that damn plantar at his arrogant head.

She didn't turn away, snapping her phone shut before the digital voice could Not until he was out of sight. Her hands shaking and breath coming in pants, Vanessa turned back to the door. Stabbing blindly at the lock, only to have her key skitter away uselessly.

Focus, she ordered eyes that blurred, seeing double. No reason to cry. She'd done this. She'd let it happen. God help them, but she'd begged for this to happen.

One hand gripping the doorknob, Vanessa forced herself to just breathe and brought her hand up again. Slipping the key home. She twisted her wrist or attempted it but the damn key wouldn't budge.

She yanked it out and stared blankly. Wondering how she could've gotten it wrong. But she hadn't, so she tried again but the damn thing still wouldn't budge. She tried the deadbolt and came up with the same result.

Her keys didn't work.

Vanessa stared at the key and door, cursing. "You changed the locks." She whispered. Great. That was just fucking great.

She turned away, catching sight of the elderly woman next door. The old lady hadn't come out to after Vanessa's little conversation with Carter but she was willing to bet that the woman had seen the whole damn thing. She watched Vanessa now. Something knowing and pitying in her wrinkled visage. Sad.

Seemed that even the old lady knew that the Archibalds were done.

~ஐ~

Dr. Felix McCarty was living the life. A sumptuous suite and the entire Palace staff at his beck and call.

As expected, Bass had been grateful to him. It'd been a gamble. Administering the drug to Blair Waldorf without Bass' consent. Without his knowledge. But it'd paid off in the end and the boy billionaire owed him big-time. Years of research and experiments, netting the desired breakthrough.

Any resentments that Bass might have harbored were forgotten in the face of the results. The mother of his children, back among the world of the living. No more coma or beside vigils.

And it was all due to him and his work. God, he was going to be fucking famous and Bass would make him a rich man for holding up his end of their bargain.

Why not throw Olivia George into the mix. Georgina Sparks. If he had money of his own, he didn't have to run anymore. He could fund his own protection against the crazy bitch.

He could easily set Bass on her trail. Give _her_ something to worry about.

McCarty switched on the stereo, in the mood to celebrate. He cranked it up. Uncaring of the other occupants around him. He was Mr. Bass' special guest. If people didn't like it then they could kiss his ass.

He scanned through the menu for room service. He had a taste for something exotic and obscenely expensive. And champagne. Nothing but the best to celebrate his success.

Giddy and riding high on success that had alluded the army of specialists, called in by the girl's parents and lover, McCarty decided that he deserved a chance to let loose.

He had everything he could want and more only a phone call away. This was how his life was meant to be. _Yeah_, buddy.

Across the hall, his hands clamped over his ears, Dan wondered for the billionth time how he'd gotten roped into babysitting McCarty.

The guy was indulging in a party of one, Beyonce's "Get Me Bodied" loud enough to make the walls vibrate and set Dan's teeth on edge.

He glanced at his silent phone. Willing it to ring, signaling Bass' return. Despite the fact that he'd spoken to Chuck once already, letting the other man know that he'd arrived at the hotel. Bass was still at least two hours out. A relatively short amount of time. In theory.

Right about now, those hours felt more like days stretching into oblivion. He reached for the new laptop he'd picked up and attempted distracting himself with work. He gave up almost immediately. Shoving the thing away in disgust.

He tried to watch television but nothing held his attention. Not with Beyonce giving way to Shakira and then Al Green.

Almost twenty minutes passed before he was granted some relief, the sound of a door opening and muted voices bringing him to his feet. He'd left the door to his borrowed suite cracked open so that he could hear everything beyond the room.

His cheek pressed against the door and eye squinting through the discreetly placed peephole, Dan listened to the quick exchange.

Room service. It was just room service.

Dan's belly's roared out a reminder that he wasn't free to do the same. Order in. Guess it was time to raid the mini-fridge.

~ஐ~

Georgina settled back, kicking her feet up. She smiled sweetly at the flight attendant who was so solicitous in seeing to her every need. The woman refilled Georgie's champagne for a second time.

"Is there anything else I can get for you, Miss Evans?"

As far as the world was concerned, Georgina Sparks was still back in that sanitarium in Prague and Olivia George no longer existed. Instead, it was Gigi Evans enjoying the fruits of first class living. She had a passport and everything that she could possibly need to slip back into the States.

"No, thank you. I'll let you know if that changes, though." The brunette told her, taking another sip of champagne. It was going straight to her head but she could afford to indulge.

Alone again, she glanced at the blank screen of her cell. He was supposed to text her. Let her know when it finally happened.

Poor Chuck. So close to getting what he wanted.

What had been the smug bastard's words before he'd walked away? Assured that she wasn't a threat to him after all. _No friends. No family._

"…it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. You did this to yourself." Georgina murmured, his words catching in her throat. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

Eyes alight, she raised her flute in silent toast.

"Here's looking at you, Bass."

~ஐ~

Staring and incredulous, Blair surveyed the building where she and Will had ended up. After getting through traffic that moved no quicker than a crawl for block after block. Then spending the better part of an hour looking for somewhere to park. Blair might've reminded him again the reason why no one really drove in New York, except she couldn't get over just where they'd ended up. "You're meeting your date here?"

"It's not a date, remember?"

She amended, "Sorry. Your old friend."

"Acquaintance." Will murmured.

"Are you gay?"

That stopped him in his tracks, he gave a considering look before offering that flirty smile that she'd come to know very well. "Very much no. Would you like to me to prove it to you."

She smiled acidly, "Very much no."

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a hard woman?"

"So charming. It's a wonder that I haven't fallen under your spell." Blair shook her head.

"Yet."

"Don't hold your breath."

"Admit it. You think I'm adorable," he said, holding the door open for her.

"My children are adorable." Blair hesitated. "Um. Are you sure this was a good idea. Maybe your date would appreciate you arriving alone. I can take a cab from here. I just need an address to this facility."

"Abandoning me now. Nice try." His reached out with a light hand and pulled her inside.

"Fine. But word of advice. You wouldn't have to flirt with your patients, if you added a little more wooing to your dates than ice cream socials."

He glanced at his watch again and this time when his phone rang, he answered.

Blair considered looking away and giving him even the semblance of privacy but his suddenly grave expression stopped her.

"We're here." Will said into the phone.

Not _I'm _here. But 'we." As if she'd been expected.

"What…"

"Sorry, Blair."

He'd brought her to this place on purpose. She accused, "You set me up."

"Yes."

**ஐTBCஐ**

* * *

**A/N:** Uh-oh so Good old Dr. Feelgood wasn't on the up and up after all. Hmm wonder what he's up to and who could they be meeting. Vanessa finds out that not only has she ruined her marriage but she got played by Carter. Lil J is done with her pity party and ready to find out get back to living. While McCarty is certainly living the life and making Dan suffer through every single second of it. Don't think Brooklyn will be doing Bass too many favors in the future. Will try to update this weekend. Wouldn't want to leave you hanging because dude I hate that too ;). So what'd you think of this one…as always let me know. Kisses all around :D

ஐCourtneyஐ


	32. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N: **Wow!!! I cannot believe how long it's been since I last posted, but I promise you that I've been quite the busy little bee. I've got a few chapters set to go. The reason I wanted to get a little ahead of myself is because of a little sumthin sumthin else that I've got raring to go for you guys. Remember I said something about a CB/Bro (HIMYM) crossover…well that took over a lot of my attention while I tried to get the story sorted out in my head. Posting the first chap for that today as well. It's called Crash Into Me. Check it out. I've had the most amazing time working on both stories. So I'll stop talking/writing now and let you get to reading. As always thanks for all the love (and patience). You guys are the best. Kisses to Wifey and my girls :D

Mini-recap: When last we left off, Blair took a little ride with her all too flirtatious doctor who it seemed was up to no good. What tricks did he have up his sleeve? Who could he have been consorting with to get Blair off on her own? Lil J makes some decision about her life after the fire and she gives some advice to her old pal Vanessa. The guys, are up to their necks in mystery and intrigue especially with the mad doctor McCarty resurfacing and putting Chuck that much closer to the answers he's been wanting. And the Archibalds…Vanessa gets hit with two big shocks as she finds out just how Carter used her to get at Nate and Nate's quite literally kicked her to the curb. Okay…so I think we're all caught up, no? Now read on bbs.

* * *

**ஐChapter 31ஐ**

Blair looked away from her former doctor, her confusion evident. She took a step back, not sure what to think, as his words hung between them, leaving her wary and very much on high alert.

"Wait." He reached out to stop her.

She glanced around the deserted ice cream parlor. Everything felt all wrong.

Blair knew this place. She'd come with Serena often enough when they were younger. This was the place where her parents had brought her to break the news that they were splitting up and why. As if she were the same five-year old to be placated with sprinkles and cherries. On more occasions than she could be bothered to remember, she and her army of mean girls would descend after school, holding court. She knew this place.

Only it was different now. Empty of people and sound.

It wasn't dilapidated and defunct, changed and made useless by the years she'd lain in bed, unaware of the life marching on without her. No, it was clean and obviously still patroned. Being that it was New Year's Eve and the city was crowded with even more tourists and partygoers than usual, the establishment should've been crowded with people. So where in the hell were they?

Her eyes drifted to Will's face again, very real fear creeping into her voice as she took another step away from him. "What is this?"

"I asked him to bring you here, B."

"Serena?!" The brunette whirled on her best friend. Somehow the other woman had slipped in and come to standstood directly behind her. "You scared the crap out of me. What in the world is going on here?"

"A surprise of sorts." Serena smiled at her best friend, looping her arm through Blair's. "Doctor, thanks a lot for your help."

"No problem."

"Mommy!"

"Girls." Two small bodies launched themselves at her legs, knocking her into Will.

"Hey, guys. You need to be careful with your Mom." He cautioned.

"No, they don't. They're fine." Blair didn't know what the hell was happening but her daughters' presence made it an extremely good thing. She gathered them closer, throwing an arm around their shoulders.

"You need to take it easy. You're not back up to full strength yet."

"I won't break." She gave him a meaningful look. He needed to back off. Blair had enough people treating her with kid gloves without adding her our children to the list.

"Right. Look, I should be going. I'll be in touch, though." Will promised, turning to Serena before taking his leave. "Make sure she takes it easy. Even if you have to sit on her, will you?"

"Consider it done."

"Traitor."

Moments before, she'd accused Will of setting her up. For what nefarious deed she couldn't imagine now but he'd actually been helping her best friend. Who still had yet to answer the question as to how in the hell they'd all ended up there. Well, she knew the how. Her best friend had planned it, but now she couldn't understand the why.

"S, are you going to start talking?"

"Wouldn't you prefer that the girls show you instead. This was actually their idea you know. We talked about it this morning while you were in the bathroom." Serena revealed.

"Oh, really?" Blair looked at each girl in turn, drinking in her fill of them and knowing that it would never quite be enough.

"They thought you looked…sad and wanted to cheer you up."

Brown eyes flew to blue, questioning. Had she been that obvious? Vacillating between her anger and an incredible sense of loss. This time not simply because of the five years just gone from her life, but mourning the relationship with her mother that never was…that would never have the chance to be.

"Come on, Mommy." Kat tugged her along with Evie taking up the rear to push Blair along.

"Someone want to clue me in on this surprise."

"It's our list." Evie finally said.

List? What lis…

"Auntie S, said that we could do some of the stuff on the list we made when you woke up. Just until Daddy gets home because then we're supposed to…" Evie drifted off with a squeak. She glared over at her sister, one hand coming up to rub the back of her head.

"Katharine. That's not the best way to cut your sister off when she's going to say something that she shouldn't." Blair tried not to smile, reaching out to smooth dark curls.

"Hmm, really? Because if I recall, B. You used to do that to me all the time" Serena accused, laughing. "Come to think of it…you still…"

The brunette shook her head, "Sorry, S. I'm sure that I don't know what you mean. I was an angel."

"Ha," Her friend scoffed, the little girls watching the two old friends with growing interest. "Girls, remind me some time to tell you about all the ways your mommy used to love torturing your dad."

"Now. Tell us now."

"Ow! Blair." The blonde yelped and turned on her best friend who regarded her with an all too innocent expression, one hand coming up to massage her scalp. "That's just great. Very grown up."

The girls laughed, "Mommy, that wasn't nice."

"My hand must have slipped. Sorry, S." Blair stuck out her tongue when the twins looked away. "Now, would someone please fill me in on our little agenda for the day. Ice cream and the other stuff from our list and then 'later when Daddy get's home, we're supposed to'…" She stopped off, motioning for Evie to fill in the blanks.

Kat clapped a hand over her sister's mouth.

Her twin shook her off, "Hey, I wasn't going to say anything. Just that we had to wait for Daddy."

"Oh, sorry."

"Nice try, B. Now who wants ice cream?"

Hands flew up and the foursome wandered over to claim a table in the deserted store.

"Where in the world is everyone?"

"Well, apparently, your list was very specific and in case you didn't know your daughters can be as insistent as you ever were when it comes to little things like details." Serena said.

That was right. On that first day when she was finally getting to know here children, holding them close they'd made their list. Almost at the top had been the intent to do something as simple as take them out for ice cream. They'd stuff themselves silly and the staff would cater to them and only them because they'd have their Daddy rent the entire place out.

Blair had laughed, in awe. They had Chuck wrapped tight around their little fingers and he was all about spoiling them silly.

What else had been on the list? So much. Too much missed and left for them to make up for. God, the things they had on that list would take a lot longer than the few hours they had to get through.

_Bliss_. She'd wanted to take them out for a day of pampering at the day spa. A treat she used to live for whenever Eleanor asked her along. And the pond. She'd wanted to take them to see the ducks. She wanted to indulge in a day of shopping, dressing up and trying on everything they could get their hands on.

Serena called out and suddenly there were people everywhere. Taking their orders.

Kat and Evie were comparing notes. Challenging one another to see who could stuff down the most without getting sick first.

Unable to help herself, Blair met Serena's eyes and burst out laughing. "Guys, how about we try not to make ourselves sick, huh." Serena said.

"Yes. Listen to Auntie S. It kind of defeats the purpose of treating yourself." Blair added. She wanted to say more, thinking of what she used to do to herself, all in the name of striving for control and perfection. Now was probably not the time for that particular conversation. "So what's next?"

"Blair, would you quit it." Serena said, "We're not saying anything."

"Meaning there's something to be said." Fine. That was just fine. She'd lull them into complacency and then see which of the three slipped up first. Blair watched them, speculating odds. "That's not what I meant, Serena. I wanted to know what you three have planned for us after this. Shopping? Bliss?"

"Auntie S says we need to get pretty for tonight." Kat said.

"Hmm…sounds good." Blair nodded, diving into her sundae with relish. Sounded as if Chuck had other plans for them besides simply curling up in front of the TV to watch the mayhem in Times Square. A reprieve of sorts before she ended up at the private hospital.

The day had started off on crappy footing but things appeared to be looking up.

She glanced at her children. The duo eating one spoonful after another at a pace that would've surely had Blair cradling her aching head. But they seemed to feel it not at all, chocolate syrup smeared around their mouths and brown eyes laughing.

And that was all she needed. Confirmation that she'd done the right thing with her mother.

Eleanor who?

~ஐ~

She'd been meeting up with Serena. Not Eleanor. That thought should've made him breathe easier, but it only reminded him of what the coming night would bring.

How was he supposed to lay this on her?

"Sorry, baby, but your mother's an evil bitch. Let's party." Yeah that was going to work.

God, should he wait until after her welcome home party and she was already suspicious, so how did he avoid the subject until the whole damn thing was over.

Then there was the fact that Eleanor was supposed to be there. Woo-fucking-hoo.

His phone vibrated, offering a welcome distraction. Another text from Joseph letting him know that his girls had arrived at Bliss. This was good. Serena would keep Blair busy, while Lily and Dorota were at the apartment handling last minute details.

A simple affair for Blair's nearest and dearest. Ringing in a new era and new year for the Waldorf-Bass-Van der Woodsen family. Eric was bringing his boyfriend along. Serena had invited Dan and Jenny. Blair's three dads and Eleanor. _And_ Dorota had even mentioned something about inviting her gentleman friend.

"Mr. Bass, we should be landing shortly." His pilot's voice came over the intercom.

Even as the wheels touched down, Chuck was on the phone. "Humphrey. It's me. What's that noise?"

"Don't ask." Dan answered, sounding wound tight. Music booming in the background.

"You might want to turn that racket down, Humphrey, because if McCarty slips out on your watch…"

"That _is_ McCarty, Bass."

"Oh."

"Oh? Oh, he says. This guy has been at it for almost two hours straight. Twice your staff has been by to ask him to turn it down. And he does…for like five minutes."

"Is that Pearl Jam?"

"And Alanis Morrisette before that. This guy has issues. Who the hell is he?"

Chuck cleared his throat. Telling Serena and Nate was one thing but he didn't need anyone else knowing the true nature of his connection to McCarty. Most especially Dan Humphrey boy reporter. As far as he was concerned, he'd already entrusted the other man with more than enough secrets.

"It doesn't matter who he is. Only that you keep an eye on that room until I can get there."

"Fine, but would it be too much to ask you to hurry the hell up."

"Sit tight, Humphrey." Smiling despite himself, he hung up before the other man could say another word.

He'd be there soon. Long enough to get some much needed answers out of that quack before the man found out what life was like when you crossed a Bass. Humphrey made it sound like the good doctor was having a ball. That was good. He'd always favored the idea of allowing the condemned a final meal.

Chuck started to call Nate, thinking that maybe it would've be a bad idea to have a cop on hand after all.

~ஐ~

This was probably the worst idea she'd ever had. Second thoughts came rushing in the moment she slipped into the cab and gave the driver her destination.

Head back to Jenny's, she kept telling herself. Like you don't have enough trouble. He doesn't want to see you. She understood that he was angry. He had every right to be, but just where the hell did he get off locking her out of her own home.

Nate's actions and discovering Carter's hidden agenda spurred her on, robbing her of the sense and logic that she'd found earlier during her conversation with Jenny. If forgiving her at the moment was too large a thing to ask, then a key to the house would have to suffice.

All attempts to catch him on his cell phone ended up the same. With her carrying on a one-sided conversation with his voicemail. Calling his phone at work netted the same results.

She eventually made it through to a few of his co-workers and was given the brush-off. At first she'd just thought they were all being rude assholes, but a quick cab ride to the station had made the truth all too clear. They all knew something was up and they blamed her.

Vanessa was given the cold shoulder at every turn. It seemed that her husband was better liked by his fellow officers than he believed. Vanessa wasn't sure how much they knew about the state of her marriage but they were closing ranks on her.

It was Nate's partner who finally informed her that the younger man had gone home for the day. Vanessa was pretty sure that he only gave her that tidbit to get her out of his hair.

Next, she had the pleasure of listening to his phone ring endlessly at the Palace _and _getting hung up on by the staff. She had to hand it to Nate's best friend, his people were polite to a fault, even when they were in so many words telling you to go fuck yourself.

Any other day this all might've acted as further determent. All signs were letting her know that tracking down Nate wasn't the best of ideas. Seriously, what was she going to do. Wrestle him for the key. Tell him that he was being insanely unfair.

So there she was, sitting in the cab outside the Palace, her disgruntled cabbie waiting for her to either get the hell out or give him a new destination.

"Lady. We can't sit here forever."

"Hey, you still get paid either way."

"I got a life, too. You're my last fare." He muttered.

"Right. Sorry. I'll just take the subway or something. Thanks."

"Whatever, lady." He pulled off the moment that the door click shut behind her, as if she might change her mind and dive back inside.

Which was very insightful of him because she was picturing that very thing even as he sped away.

Well, she was here. Might as well go up. She started across the courtyard, waved at the vaguely familiar face of the doorman and got no further. He stepped directly into her path. "Sorry, Mrs. Archibald."

"Oh, come on. You're kidding, right?"

"Sorry, ma'am but this one comes right from the top. You're not allowed on the premises." He said, smiling over her shoulder and tipping his hat at the guests entering behind her. Guests who couldn't have failed to hear his words.

For the umpteenth time that day, humiliation burned through her. "Well, that's too bad. Please tell my husband that I'm here."

"I can't. Our instructions were very clear. You have to go."

"No, I don't."

"You don't want to cause a scene, Mrs. Archibald and I don't want to have to call the police."

Vanessa couldn't help laughing at that. She actually couldn't stop laughing. Hadn't she made the same threat to Carter back at the brownstone. She'd been bluffing, of course. She was more than certain that this doorman was doing the same. Her making a scene was one thing but calling in the police and making the entire situation at least ten times worse wouldn't go over well with the Palace's moneyed, elite residents and guests.

Seemed she'd learned quite a few things being married to an Archibald after all.

"Call him now. I swear that I'll leave and won't set foot back near this place again anytime soon. I need to speak with him, though." Vanessa said, "I know you work for Chuck Bass and his word is law but just do this one thing…"

"The mandate came at Mr. Archibald's request."

She'd known that, but hearing the doorman actually say it was different. Another rejection. All day with the cold shoulder and people acting as if they hated her guts. When was it going to be enough.

Her vision blurred and her cheeks were wet, drops splattering her coat and hands before she even realized that there was only a metaphorical thundercloud hovering overhead. Great now she was crying, she rifled through her purse for a clean tissue.

"Here. If you would just…" The doorman motioned her off to the side.

Vanessa sniffled, blowing her nose into the handkerchief. "I won't cause you anymore trouble, okay. I understand that you're just doing your job. My best friend is staying here, too. Can't I just go u…"

He shook his head.

"Fine, I'll call him. How about that. Do you know if Dan Humphrey is back?"

"Mr. Humphrey returned four hours ago, ma'am."

She sighed, "Good. Let me just call him. Then I'll get out of your hair." Feeling like the proverbial dog slinking away with her tail between her legs, Vanessa shuffled off further to the side, struggling to catch her breath and sound normal before her best friend could pick up.

She frowned when he finally answered, Black Sabbath pounding away in the background. "Dan?"

"Vanessa?" He yelled into the phone, causing her to react by quickly yanking the thing away from her ear.

"Ow."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. What is that?" She asked.

"Room next door."

"Well, that's kinda rude."

"Tell me about it." Dan agreed, "So what's up?"

Vanessa was quiet, trying to consider just how to answer that question.

"Hey, you still there?"

"Oh, I'm here." She glanced away from the doorman. Turing her back against speculative eyes of guests who'd watched their earlier exchange. Tears rose in her throat despite her best efforts. "Could you come down?"

"Um. Actually." He hedged, "I—yea. Now's not the best time."

She frowned, sure that she'd heard him wrong or that he'd misspoken. "Dan."

"I'm sorry. Trust me and I can…"

And there she went again, tears running freely. God, rejected even by her best friend when she needed a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on. This had to be some kind of record. "Dan, please. You just have no idea what the past few hours have been like for me. Carter came by and he pretty much said that he used me to get back at Nate for God knows what. I mean what could Nate have done that would've made any of this equal things out."

"Shit…"

"I know this is my life or it was but I don't get these people. I think…no I hate them. And Nate pretty much kicked me out."

"What?!"

"I don't mean literally. He changed the looks and now the fucking doorman won't even let me come upstairs to yell until my head doesn't feel like exploding. I don't have anywhere to go and I need to talk to my best friend…who's apparently reading the same 'to hell with Vanessa' script as everyone else today."

"V, you're not making any sense."

"What is?" She muttered. "You know what…forget it. Just forget it." Vanessa snatched the phone away from her ear, wanting to fling the thing into the farthest corner of the courtyard.

"Wait…don't hang up. I'm coming down. But not for long. I'm taking care of something for Chuck."

"Of course you are." Because the world had flipped on its ear. When Nate hated her and Dan was doing favors for Chuck Bass. Insanity.

"Don't move, Vanessa. I'm serious."

"Where am I going?"

Upstairs in his temporary suite, Dan was already on his feet and reaching for his overcoat. Just a few minutes. That was all he needed to check on Vanessa and make sure she was okay, then he'd come right back up.

Maybe he could talk the staff into letting her come back up with him. Wasn't like this McCarty person was going anywhere, the guy was too damn busy deafening everyone within earshot.

Dan slipped out into the hallway, glancing at the door across the hall. He brushed past two maids near the elevator, both were plugging their ears. They caught sight of Dan at the same instance and frowned as he approached.

"Sir, you shouldn't be up here. This floor is…ugh restricted." The women shared a look.

"I'm a guest." He assured them.

They shook their heads, looking at one another again and then back at him.

Oh, come on. God, sometimes he was sure that the staff was just as elitist as the UESers that he'd known over the years. What so he didn't look like he could foot the bill for a $4500/per night suite and therefore didn't belong…well they had a point but he could be slumming it as far as they knew.

"You shouldn't be here. This entire floor has been closed off." The other maid said.

Oh. Oops. "Right. Sorry. I'm a friend of your boss' and he asked me to come up and check on something." He explained and their expressions shifted almost immediately into all out skepticism. "Look, check with the concierge…the name is Humphrey. H-U-M…"

"That won't necessary. We apologize. It's just that strict orders were given that no one else be allowed on this floor or to disturb Mr. McCarty."

Chuck had isolated their quarry. Quick thinking, Bass.

"Good. That's good. Mr. McCarty is an extremely special guest and he shouldn't be bothered. That's what Mr. Bass wanted me to make sure of."

They nodded, seeming to have finally accepted his words.

Dan glanced over his shoulder, down the hall to McCarty's closed door. Chuck had gone all out and still hadn't given him anything as to where the doctor fit in with everything else they knew. How he was connected to the fires?

Did Chuck think this was the arsonist? Dan shook his head almost immediately, the other man wouldn't have invited the firebug to stay, not with a hotel filled with guests and employees. Who was he, though? Could he be dangerous in some other way? Was that why Chuck wanted _him _keeping an eye on the man?

Dan cleared his throat, "Um. I actually talked to Mr. Bass a few minutes ago and he suggested that maybe that the staff should steer clear for the next little while as well." He lied and quickly added, "Chuck'll be here within the hour. His plane just landed. You can wait for confirmation from the man himself if you'd like."

Neither woman had anything to say to that. Instead they shared one last quick look before heading for the service elevator, leaving Dan standing alone in the hallway.

He looked back at McCarty's door. The music inside was still going strong.

First V and then he'd haul tail it to finish out his misadventures in babysitting. Whoopdee friggin' doo. He wasn't leaving though until Bass filled him in on just what the doctor knew.

~ஐ~

He'd napped and showered but still felt like hell. Even Chuck's little hangover cure didn't seem to be doing the trick. He'd really done a number on himself the night before.

Nate wandered over to the mini-bar, he grimaced at the sight of half-empty liquor bottles. The very thought of touching another drop anytime soon made him nauseous.

Sighing, he shook his head.

That was something at least that he could take comfort in. He wasn't turning into a full-on drunk. That would've gone over just great at work and his failed marriage would be fodder enough for the round table at the next Vanderbilt/Archibald family gathering.

Nate's ringing cell phone grabbed his attention. The trill no longer felt like claws gripping tight onto the surface of his skull. Guess he was feeling better after. He wondered if it was his soon-to-be ex calling again. Making a mental note to change his number as soon as humanly possible he picked it up.

It wasn't her after all.

"Chuck. Hey, what's up, man."

"I don't know. You tell me. Here I thought you were at work and I've got my staff calling me saying otherwise. Nonetheless, I heard you've had quite the full day."

"Look, man. I'm sorry if I overstepped. I know you're probably still pissed at me about the bar."

"Nathaniel. Just things…that's all they are. Easily replaced. You're my boy and if trashing the bar or your suite is what you need to do then I say have at it." Chuck drawled. "My concierge tells me that you gave some special instructions barring Vanessa."

"I also changed the locks at the Brownstone. Overkill?"

Silence reigned on the other end then Chuck made a choking sound followed by coughing laughter.

"Oh, I'd say most definitely not overkill, dear Nathaniel. Rather a good start. It took you long enough." His best friend finally said after he caught his breath. "In that same vein, I should probably let you know that I've gotten no less than two calls from my people there. It appears that your wife is downstairs as we speak."

"What?"

"I'd just as soon as let them call in the police and have her escorted from the premises, but I figured it best left up to you. So what do you say? Ready to take that extra step." Chuck asked.

For the briefest of moments, Nate actually considered giving Chuck the go-ahead but relented in the end. "No. That's fine. I'll get rid of her. She's probably been by the Brownstone by now and couldn't get in."

"You sure?" His voice rose over the deafening sound of engines.

"Positive." Nate frowned, trying to place the sound. "Where are you, anyway?"

"About to leave the airfield. I should be there shortly. Look. Why don't you call me back after you deal with your little problem and we can discuss another situation that we've got going on over there." Chuck said.

"Yeah. Okay." Nate agreed. "Sounds good to me."

"See you in thirty and Nathaniel?"

"Yeah?"

"Stick to your guns. Don't get pulled in by bullshit excuses and crocodile tears."

"You don't have to worry about me, Chuck." Nate assured, remembering his earlier encounter with Carter. The bastard's wink and smile, fueling him anew, "Not anymore. Listen, I'd better go."

The two friends hung up. A brutal smile stretching across his handsome features. Vanessa couldn't have picked a worse time for her little visit. He'd finally calmed down, his nerves soothed and anger assuaged with distance. Time to think on his next course of actions in cutting himself off from the life he'd had with her.

Going after Carter was to the be next order of business. His first instinct had been to let Chuck handle the son-of-a-bitch but this time he wanted…no needed to take Carter down on his own.

~ஐ~

The bitch had looked him right in the fucking eye and hadn't raised the alarm. There'd been nothing of recognition in her eyes when they'd wandered blindly over the occupants in the courtyard. His was just one face among many, blending in with the rest.

Hers was the last face that he'd expected to see though. He'd been on guard, ready to duck away if Archibald or that nosey ass reporter popped up. Instead he'd almost bumped into _her._

She didn't see him, though. Not really. Likely too caught up in whatever internal bullshit drama she and Richie Rich had going on. Worked just fine for him.

The doorman nodded but didn't really see him either. Dude was probably busily ticking away the hours until he could punch out. The rich jerks he had to cater to probably nothing but a blur of faces to hold on to his sanity.

He didn't tip his head as he walked past. No, he walked in there as if he owned the place. The staff mere props and furniture. Anything short of that would make him stick out like a sore thumb. His partner had coached him.

Once he was inside, he followed Georgina's instructions to the letter. Never veering from the path that she'd insisted. He caught sight of the dark-haired one. The reporter.

Still had a score to settle there. Vanessa Archibald seeing his face was one thing but if Humphrey spotted him, the guy might just finger him as the person who'd cold-cocked him and left his ass for dead.

His movements fluid and manner casual, Henderson ducked out of sight. He need not have worried, the other man was as distracted as Archibald's bitch wife, muttering with every step. Guy looked wound tight but none the worse from their previous run-in.

Pity. Oh, well. There would be time enough and another day to take care of the fucking reporter. Right now, though. He had other worries.

That thought in mind. The off-duty cop bypassed a bank of elevators flooded with light and chattering guests, staff pandering with every breath. Instead he headed for the hidden service elevators.

~ஐ~

Cursing fluently as he stepped on the elevators it took Nate a moment and the full attention of his fellow occupants before he realized that he'd spoken allowed.

Face burning, he murmured a quick apology to the woman glaring at him and the young child who watched him with an awe-filled expression. He recognized the speculative gleam in the child's eyes from spending so much time around his goddaughters. The kid couldn't wait to get to some quiet corner where she could practice Nate's colorful spiel.

The woman hurried off the moment the elevator door slit open. She didn't look back but the kid did. Flashing him a quick smile, her two front teeth missing and eyes bright with anticipation.

Oh, he was going to hell.

He was hallway across the lobby before the concierge fell into step at his side.

"Sir…"

"Where is she?"

"The courtyard."

"Thank you, Frederick. I'll handle things from here."

"Yes, sir." Taking his cue, the other man fell back. Nerves in his eyes that the wouldn't let show in that cool and calm demeanor.

Nate figured that he'd caused enough of a ruckus the night before. The bar had been closed during those early morning hours while the staff cleaned up the messed he'd made. Poor Frederick had sounded almost grateful when Nate had asked him to bar Vanessa from the premises. Guess the man figured "no cheating ex-wife" meant no more temper tantrums liable to damage his hotel, from the barstools to the atmosphere.

He'd talk to her now. Let her know that just showing up whenever she felt like it was unacceptable. Threaten her again with his attorney and a restraining order.

The doorman tipped his hat, pulling the door open as he approached. The man glanced nervously from Nate to the man and woman embracing only a few yards off.

He waited to the heat of jealousy and anger seeping into his bones, even if it was just Humphrey. An innocent hug between friends. Nate didn't give a damn. Not anymore. Dan. Carter. Whoever was welcome to her. Right now he just wanted out.

"I'm such an idiot. He's been so persistent and then he showed up at the house. I honestly thought he was starting to fall for me." She hugged her best friend as if holding on for dear life.

"Whoa. Is that what you wanted?"

"Dan! That's the last thing I could want." Vanessa muttered against Dan's shoulder. "Then again maybe that would've been better than finding out that I was just a tool he wanted to use against Nate. God, what's wrong with these people and how did we let ourselves get mixed up with them."

Nate folded his arms across his chest, listening. So Baizen had gone after her with purpose. It didn't change anything. Not really. She couldn't have known. What mattered was that she'd slept with another man. She'd slept with Carter.

That smug expression that Carter had been wearing earlier suddenly made sense. Oh, he and that son-of-a-bitch were going to talk. Sooner rather than later.

"Looks like you had the right idea, after all. You cut Serena completely out of your life and you're better off for it. These people ruin lives for the fun of it. Too rich and too bored for their own good."

Nate cleared his throat, "And you're completely innocent of blame in this entire scenario, right?"

"Nate. Man, why don't you go back inside. I've got this taken care of."

"Dan, don't you get tired of being told to butt out?"

"Yes and it's really a waste of breath on your part." Dan shrugged, casually positioning himself between the estranged couple.

"It's fine. Look, Nate. I'll leave. I just need the keys to the house." Vanessa said.

Nate shook his head, looking at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having the locked changed in the first place?"

"I just want my things. You can have the house. I don't need to be there."

"I'll arrange for your _things _to be sent to you."

"When?"

"I don't know. After the holiday."

"And want am I supposed to do until then?"

"Vanessa. I really couldn't care." Nate said. "Now, are you leaving or should I be calling my lawyer about that restraining order?"

"What happened to you? When did you become such a cold son-of-a-bitch? What? Did Chuck give you lessons?"

"No. Thanks to you I learned that one on my own. Now, was there anything else?"

Dan intervened once more. "Guys, look. In the interest of keeping things civil why don't I go and pack some things up for Vanessa. You go back to Jenny's. I'll bring them to you," he looked between the twosome, Vanessa's face red and angry while Nate seemed the picture of cool satisfaction.

"Sounds fine to me. I left the keys upstairs."

"Vanessa?" Dan turned to his friend.

"Yeah. Okay."

"Good. Now we're getting somewhere." Dan clapped his hands together. "So, V. I need to finish up here and I'll call you as soon as I get to the brownstone and you can tell me what you need."

She nodded, her eyes glued to Nate's. Gone was the loving couple he'd known. Instead they were squaring off like two contenders, ready to take chunks out of one another. Just the tip of the iceberg of things to come, Dan couldn't help thinking and suddenly Chicago didn't sound like such a bad idea after all.

Vanessa broke contact first, walking away without another word. Both men watched her slow progression across the courtyard and outside the gates.

Dan spoke first, "Was that really necessary?"

"What?"

"You humiliated her and locked her out of her own home."

"She brought it on herself. Now could you drop it?"

"No. Look, I don't know how much you heard earlier but Carter…" Dan tried a different tactic.

"It doesn't matter. I mean, don't get me wrong. Carter will get his but he didn't force her into anything." Things would be so different if that were the case but she'd gone to the bastard more than once. All on her own. "Now would you drop it or don't you want to pack that bag for her after all."

"I'm done." Dan finally said, "Just don't do something that you're going to regret later."

Nate sighed, "Like you taking off after senior year."

"I went away to college." Dan retorted half-heartedly. "But I regret not settling things before I left. And it took years before Serena and I could actually be friends again. Don't make the same mistake with Vanessa. Maybe you guys won't ever work things out but my dad once gave me some really good advice about the bridges we burn. I didn't listen. You should."

Nate opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut after a moment. He sighed, "The keys are upstairs."

"Right…wait. No, I can't leave yet. Chuck had me keeping an eye on some guy upstairs."

"What?"

"Yea. Some guy. McCarty." Dan said, watching the curious mixture of disbelief and recognition in the other man's face. "You know who he is."

Nate didn't answer. "Um, if you're supposed to be keeping an eye on the man then what the hell are you doing down here."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Nathaniel." Chuck's bored tones, belied the censor in his expression when Dan glanced up guiltily.

Oops. "Vanessa was here and sorry but my best friend took precedence over your mystery guest. Sue me."

"For what? Your stamp collection. Thanks, but no."

"Look, I've been stuck in that room for the past four hours. Trust me, this guy isn't going anywhere anytime soon. He's having too much fun taking advantages of the _amenities._" Dan said, "Good thinking giving him his own floor, by the way."

"I thought it prudent. McCarty used to say that he worked best when he was relaxed and somehow that translated into hours of thrash metal or Whitney. Whichever caught his fancy in the moment." Chuck told them.

"You seem to know a lot about this guy's habits. Who is he?"

"None of your concern. Thanks but I'll take over from here." Chuck said, turning on his heel. "Nathaniel, with me."

"Oh. Yeah. I don't think so. I didn't just sit through hours of that mental torture to walk away without getting any answers." Dan said, trailing behind the two best friends as they started inside the Palace.

Chuck didn't answer. In fact he pretended that Dan hadn't even spoken as he launched into a brief recounting of his encounter with Georgina.

"Damn. So it wasn't her after all."

"Nope."

"You're thinking McCarty might be able to give you a lead."

"Something. At least tell me who this Olivia George might be."

"Olivia who?" Dan demanded. "And what does any of this have to do with the fires."

Chuck stopped right there in the middle of the lobby, hissing. "Keep your fucking voice down."

"Well, start answering my questions."

"Chuck, why not just tell him?" Nate spoke in hushed tones. "He already knows about the fires and if you're thinking is right and this is all connected then he's bound to find out anyway."

"Exactly."

"Can it, Humphrey." Chuck glared. He understood the reason in his friend's words but that didn't mean that he had to like it. He left the two standing there, turning back only when neither started to follow. "Well. What the hell are you waiting for? You want to meet the bastard or not, Humphrey?"

Dan fought the urge to smile.

The three men were all quiet on the ride upstairs.

"I'd hate to wake up and find that anything I'm about to tell you has made it into the morning edition."

"You haven't read anything about your father or the Franklins, have you?" Dan said.

"No. Best keep it that way." Shoving his hands into his pockets, Chuck started in, sketching out just who Dr. Felix McCarty was and his connection to Blair's miraculous recovery. He gave only the most pertinent details and considered the rest to be, none of Humphrey's damn business.

The elevators doors opened onto McCarty's floor.

Dan braced himself, his ears still ringing a little from the earlier punishment but nothing came. All was silent.

**ஐTBCஐ**

* * *

**A/N:** Worth the wait? Yea or Nay?….a few of you guessed Serena as the marionette pulling Dr. Feelgood's strings. Blair gets to enjoy her first day out of the hospital with her bestie and her girls. Chuck takes comfort in that his bodyguard is watching out for her and who does he set on McCarty but Dan. Vanessa confronts Nate and Nathaniel stands his ground. The boys come together and Chuck is on the cusp of getting the answers he's been waiting for. Henderson lurking about and waiting to muck things up. Will try updating in a day or two. After next week I'm going to have A LOT of free time on my hands so no more long waits like this last one. As always, let me know what you're thinking. Love to all *kiss*

Courtneyஐ


	33. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N: **OMG…August. I've left you patient patient people on a cliffhanger since August. It was not supposed to be that long. I got caught up working on the new story, Crash Into Me and then original work that I'd been neglecting. Sorry, guys. I've got a few chapters I've been working on and my head is totally back into this story so here we go again. Let's get caught up….Blair has awoken from her five year coma to find that the world has gone on without her…over the past few (31) chapters she's met her daughter's for the first time, reconnected with old friends, and learned some pretty hard truths. Chuck is dealing with the return of the love of his life but he's also keeping a few very dangerous secrets. Also of course there are other things going on…the disintegration of NV's marriage and her affair with Carter. Dan's return to town for his little sister's party that ended in flames. It was a boy for Serena & Carter during their not so long ago love affair and now she's a working working and raising her little Alex. She's also Auntie S to CB's two girls...she has it all. Her best friend is back and could love be back on the menu for her as well...with Dan back in town or will they be plagued by the same ol' drama. Then of course, Georgina's back for revenge and it seems as if she has a very dangerous partner with a grudge. The cliffhanger…the boys riding up the elevator to meet up with Dr. McCarty and instead they find….Ooops. That's where I left you and hence why I suck.

I don't have a beta anymore. Some things slip by me even after I've stared at it a few thousand times so forgive any mistakes you may find in this, large or small. Just the story…enjoy it. This is dedicated to CB lovers and most especially to my girls (you know who you are…Happy Anni!!)

* * *

**Chapter 32**

For the first time since waking up in the hospital, Blair felt more like her old self. She guessed hours of being pampered and coddled could do that to a girl. Her brown curls shown and her scalp still tingled deliciously from her stylist's ministrations. Blair surveyed her manicured nails, hiding a smile when the twins mimicked her actions.

They twosome looked like her very own little mini-mes. From the top of their dark heads to their painted toes. The dresses that their Auntie S had picked out only finished off the effect. Blair fingered the fabric of her own dress and wondered what else her best friend and children had in store for her.

Studying her reflection in the mirror, Blair felt a little more than suspicious. Serena had said something about a tea party for the four of them with all the trimmings.

Of course that was indeed one of the items from her to do list with the girls but Blair was getting the distinct feeling that their little stopover at Bliss and now Bergdorf's had more to do with whatever Chuck was planning.

Blair suddenly had the horrible thought that he'd asked Serena to do all of this, knowing that he wouldn't be back in time. Not for the first time, she wished that she hadn't made the rash decision to leave her cell phone with her bags. She'd been so intent on avoiding any phone calls from her mother and certain that by now she'd been at the private hospital.

She wanted to talk to him. Hear his voice and reassure herself that he'd be with her. With their family for the New Year. Just as he'd promised.

Blair shrugged, she could always borrow Serena's. She left the fitting room with the twins trailing behind her. She didn't get the chance to ask the blonde for her phone since she was currently using it.

That blonde had her back to them but Blair knew almost immediately who had to be on the other end of the phone line. It was in the stiff tilt of her shoulders and irritable tone.

"You're only being a stubborn jerk because you know how much this means to me. I'm not saying that he can't do the dinner with your family. He's been there for most of the day. I'm just saying that I don't want him to miss tonight with _my _family. It's a big deal…"

Blair's interest perked.

"Last night was different, Carter." Serena was saying. "Tonight, everyone is…"

"Auntie S, doesn't Mommy look pretty in her dress." Evie called out, completely oblivious to the fact that she was further thwarting her mother's efforts.

Serena turned, distracted and equally unaware of what she might or might not have almost let slip. "Look, I need to go. Would you just think about it? I'm sure you'd rather have the night to yourself anyway." She hung up before he could make any other caustic remarks. The blonde growled out her frustration, hand fisting around her cellphone as if she wished it were instead someone's neck. Carter's to be precise.

Blair turned to Kat and Evie. "Guys, I think we're done trying on clothes for now. Would you mind going back to the fitting room and grabbing our bags?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Serena shook her head as the twins rushed off, "B, you didn't have to do t hat. Besides they'll be back quicker than you know."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just really hate him sometimes." Serena admitted, "I mean really. I know I'm the idiot who got involved with him in the first place but…" She threw up her hands once more in frustration.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"S, I'm serious. I'm not pumping you for details. I'm asking about my best friend." She took Serena's hand and led her to nearby chairs. "Now sit and start talking. What did the jerk do now?"

"Nothing. Nothing more than usual." Serena sighed, "He called…said he was leaving for St. Barths. I thought he was calling to ask about taking Alex along…which he's never done so that should've clued me in."

Blair motioned for Serena to continue even as the twins returned as quickly as their Aunt had predicted. The two women stood to their feet, motioning the girls ahead of them as they roamed the store. "So he wasn't asking to keep Alex?"

"No, he wanted to make sure I didn't make him miss his flight in the morning. As if I'm suddenly the forgetful one who can't be counted on. Whatever. I told him to let me come get Alex early…that way he wouldn't miss his flight and Alex would be able to spend time with both of our families today. He blows up at me, accusing me of being selfish and unfair. Horning in on his time with his son." Serena explained, "Keep in mind that I dropped Alex off at his grandparents early this morning and that as—uh jerk didn't either both to show until way after noon."

Blair's eyes flitted unconsciously to the two little girls walking up ahead and she thought of Chuck. She'd gotten lucky. Someone like Carter wouldn't have fought her mother's decision. Hell, the adoption would've probably been fait accompli with his full endorsement.

"He loves Alex. I know he does, but I don't even think he's being such a bastard because I'm infringing on their time together. He's doing it out of spite. God, B. Sometimes I just really wish that I could cut him out. Our lives would be so much easier…except Alex would actually miss the jerk."

Blair threw an arm around her best friends waist, their heads tipping close, blond tresses butting against chestnut curls. "I'm sorry, S."

"It would be wrong, right? Just cutting him out. I remember when Eric and I were younger and we used to wonder why our dad never came around. Granted, during those days, we saw Mom just a step above that. I mean, she at least stopped by for our birthdays." Serena sighed, "Sorry. Didn't mean to bring down our happy vibe."

"S, I get it. I wouldn't want you _not _to talk to me about stuff like this. It's what best friends are for."

The blonde nodded, eyes still clinging to the girls skipping up ahead. "Have you thought about what you're going to say to Eleanor tonight?"

Blair stiffened, but she didn't pull away. Instead she cleared her throat ignoring the echo of Serena's earlier words in her head. This thing with her mother was different. She was a grown-up and fully capable of moving on with her life without Eleanor waiting to criticize and control. As for the girls. She'd been in their lives for barely a week. How could they possibly miss a relationship with the woman that they'd never even had. No, they had Lily and that would be enough. "I won't be seeing my mother tonight."

Her friend looked at her in surprise, before she seemed to realize something. "Really? I thought for sure that she and Harold would want to check in…to um…make sure that you'd settled in okay." Serena cursed silently. Of course, Eleanor had been invited to Blair's surprise party, but now B knew the truth.

"I'm sure my father and Roman will probably check in." The brunette murmured, suddenly engrossed in a display that she'd dismissed not twenty minutes before.

Serena listened to her friends words or rather what she hadn't said. "And Eleanor. You don't think she'll show up."

"Nope." Blair shook hear head.

"Why do I feel like I'm missing something here? B, um. What happened after me and my mom left you this morning?"

"Look, S. Let's just say that I took care of the situation with my mom and leave it at that."

"What do you mean by _took_ care of?"

"God, S. What did you think I meant? I took of it. She won't be showing up tonight or ever again."

"How?"

"I'd really prefer not to talk about it right now…don't want to spoil our little outing, remember? Come on. We still need to find something for you to wear." Blair made a face as she plucked at the material of Serena's outfit, deftly moving the subject along before her bestie could mount any protests. "You weren't planning on wearing this were you?"

The blonde glanced away from Blair's too innocent expression to the dress she'd picked out especially for Blair's surprise party. "What's wrong with what I have on?"

"Oh, sweetie." Blair chuckled, "where would you like me to start."

Serena pretended to be wounded by her friend's assessment but couldn't hide her own smile. She merely shook her head. "Same old B."

"I know. You don't have to tell me…this dress alone tells me just how horribly you missed me."

"So very sensitive and subtle." Serena sighed, "How could I not miss that?"

"Exactly!" Blair said but frowned almost immediately. "Hey!"

Then it was Serena's turn to feign ignorance.

The two friends fell into an easy silence, listening to Kat and Evie. Neither noticed the man who browsed just within earshot. A gift for his wife's birthday, he'd told the persistent saleswoman that watched him like a hawk. He looked comfortable in his surroundings though he was clearly out of place and the saleswoman likely figured that he was an easy mark for a fat commission.

He watched the blonde and brunette without seeming to. He appeared completely relaxed but was ready to move at a moment's notice. He dared move only so close, remaining on the periphery. Far from the two children who might take notice when the adults were too consumed with their internal drama to take notice of the dangers lurking. The familiar face that kept popping up. First outside the ice cream parlor and again outside the tooty-frooty girly spa. He couldn't just walk into that place and trusted that anyone else would meet with the same issues. Being seen when it was at of the utmost importance that he remain hidden.

At one point, the pretty brunette turned to her best friend. A frown wrinkling her smooth brow. "S, have you heard from Chuck?"

"Earlier," Serena said, not bothering to add that earlier had been back at Bliss when B had been getting her facial. Though he'd sounded peeved that Blair didn't have her cell, he hadn't been freaking out as much as Serena might've expected. He'd seemed distracted when she told him they were steadily working their way through the girls' list. Serena had wanted to ask about his trip but there hadn't been time.

"I was thinking. After this tea party thing, I'd like to go home…or the hospital rather. The past few hours with you and the girls have been beyond amazing but now…" She shrugged.

"Are you feeling okay, B" Serena demanded remembering the doctor's words. She didn't want to push her bestie too fast. She'd been trying to keep her distracted, not tire her out.

"I'm fine. Just tired and…"

"And?" she prompted, her expression knowing. "missing a certain brother of mine."

"Oh, of course. You know I love Eric like my own."

"I wasn't talking about Eric and you know it." Serena accused, "You miss Chuck."

Blair didn't bother denying it. "I miss Chuck," she smiled, "I know we've been practically joined at the hip for this past week and I wanted the whole girls' night thing. I guess I just didn't expect him to head off for parts unknown at the first opportunity."

"B, you know he was in Prague and don't even think that this is like all those times before because in case you hadn't noticed…Chuck stopped running from you a long time ago." Serena reminded, "this was something else. This was business."

"I know. I guess I just need to see him now. I can't fully explain it."

"I think I know what you mean. We'll can head home after this," Serena promised, hugging her friend and hiding a smiling in her hair. "Party first and home."

"Sounds like the perfect ending to the craziest of days." Her friend murmured, "We'd better find you something to wear."

Serena didn't say a word, she merely focused heavenward as if to say "what would you have me do with her?"

~ஐ~

Dan was halfway down the hall before, some knowledge prickling at his subconscious. He had only seconds to wonder at the lack of sound filtering through the passageway. His own soft curse was echoed by one from Chuck as the other man reached the gaping doorway of McCarty's suite first.

"Fuck." Chuck echoed his own assessment.

Only Nate was uncertain as to what may have transpired, he didn't have long to wonder as Chuck motioned them inside with a furious sweep if his hand.

The room was a mess, reminding Dan of the disaster area that'd been his old hotel room. The luxury suite had been destroyed, furniture overturned and room service serving cart on its side, food splattering colorful splotches across the light carpet.

One dark spot as big as Dan's fist, stood out among the rest. "Is that what I think it is?

Both Chuck and Dan looked to Nate.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Chuck demanded softly, "Is it blood, Nathaniel?"

"How should I know?" Nate looked between the other two men, his expression incredulous.

"Um, well the last time I checked you were the only cop in the room." Dan said, "Make like you're on a case."

"If I did that then I'd be calling in the crime scene techs."

"Can't you tell by the color or sniff it?"

Nate frowned, obviously trying to tell if the other man was being serious and finding no trace of humor in the former Brooklynite's features. He shook his head, "Great idea, Dan. Hey, while I'm at it I should just taste it..."

"That would be disgusting and ill-advised but if that works."

"I was joking."

"So was I." The reporter deadpanned.

Chuck looked between the two in disbelief, getting pissed off by their suddenly ludicrous exchanged. Had they both lost their fucking minds? "I need you gentleman on top of your game. So cut it out and be serious about this. Nathaniel, do you think that's blood or not?"

"Chuck, look at this place. It could be blood." He motioned to the fallen serving cart, "It could be ketchup."

"Well, would you put us all out of my fucking misery and check nonetheless." Chuck requested, his friend acquiescing with a quick nod. "Humphrey, how long were you gone?"

"I don't know…couldn't have been more than ten…fifteen minutes." Dan said reluctantly, aware that yet again, he'd screwed the pooch. He made no apologies and braced himself for Bass' inevitable tongue lashing. It didn't come. Instead, Chuck took out his phone and made a call.

"I'm calling the hotel's security team. No way could someone have gotten McCarty's de---unconscious body out of this place without someone seeing something. That or the cameras. I refuse to accept another dead end here. McCarty was here and he was ready to talk. _She _must have known."

"Who is this _she_?"

"That, Brooklyn is what we're trying to find out here. Why don't you make yourself useful and go help Nate or something."

"Gee…thanks. While you're at it, don't forget the 'run along now' and pat to the head."

"I really don't have time for you right now, Humphrey. Stay and help or get the hell out."

Dan stepped back, "Sorry. Guess I'm just as frustrated as you are at this point.

Chuck didn't say anything. He merely nodded and brought the phone to his ear.

The reporter turned away, squatting down beside Nate. "What do you need me to do?"

Seeming engrossed in his close examination of the mysterious spot, Nate didn't answer initially, but moments later he spoke without looking up. "You feel up to licking the carpet."

"No. Sorry. Haven't done that since I was five."

"Ew. Some things we don't have to share you know?"

"Now seriously. What do you need me to do. Chuck's having his security keeping an eye out for anything strange." Dan told him. "I know. What if we get like a magnifying glass and study the carpet fibers. Didn't you have to take classes and crap like that to be able to identify blood splatter."

"I don't work homicide and you watch too much television." Nate settled back on his haunches after a few minutes, his expression severe.

"What's wrong?"

Nate glanced from Dan to Chuck. "It's definitely blood."

"How can you tell?" Dan wanted to know.

His expression deadly serious, Nate shrugged "Can't you smell it?"

At first Dan was certain that the blonde was pulling his leg but Nate didn't break into a smile and his expression remained unchanged as he gained his feet.

"Chuck, it's time. Humphrey getting attacked is one thing but now the fucking doctor has gone missing. It's time to call in the detectives…not yours. The police. We've already compromised the fucking crime scene."

Chuck shook his head. "No. Not yet. I can't help what may have happened or not happened to McCarty at this point and doesn't his being missing say that we're on the right track with this. No police. Not yet."

"Then when?"

"Soon, Nathaniel. I swear. I just want to get a look at the security tapes."

Nate shook his head.

"I'm not changing my mind here."

"That's not what I meant. You need to get out of here. I'll review the camera feed. You've got to get ready for Blair."

Chuck blinked in surprise, glancing at his watch. He'd been intent on stopping briefly to get answers out of McCarty and then carrying on with his planned night with B and the girls and their family.

He'd talked to Lily and Dorota in the car and every was set at the apartment and Blair was with Serena. For the second time in as many days, Chuck felt torn between the answers he so desperately needed and Blair.

As if he could read his best friend's mind, Nate immediately said, "I'll call you. The minute, I see anything suspicious. You'll hear from me." He turned to Dan, "You should go, too. Vanessa's going to be looking for her things and aren't you escorting Jenny tonight."

"Yeah."

"So get going. Both of you."

Chuck nodded. "I'll talk to the concierge before I leave. No one and I mean no one is allowed in this room. Let alone on the floor."

Dan motioned to the mess, "What about this?"

"It'll be taken care of." Was all the billionaire would say, avoiding his best friend's eyes.

"I'll be right behind you guys. If this happened within the last twenty minutes, at least there won't be that much footage I'll need to go through."

"You sure you don't want company?"

"Positive. Now go."

"Fine. I'll let my head of security know you're coming down to their office." Chuck said, holding the door open for the other two men, taking one last look behind them as they switched out the lights on the carnage and left it behind.

What the fuck happened in here, McCarty? He wondered but was very certain that the good doctor would never be able to give him any of the answers that he wanted.

~ஐ~

Somewhere over the Atlantic, still hours yet out of New York, the newly minted Gigi Evans was well her way to celebrating the New Year. She figured that she'd been nicely buzzed once the plane actually touched down at LaGuardia.

Her dark head lulled back, comfortably again the pillow the very attentive flight attendant had fetched for her earlier. Gigi tipped back her champagne flute, giggling as the bubbles tickled her nose.

Okay so maybe she'd already gone beyond buzzed. Whatever. It didn't matter. She had the means and reasoning. She'd sicced her our personal pitbull on that aggravating doctor. Wouldn't do to have that idiot to ruin her game and push her timetable up earlier than she wanted. Not at all.

Blair was supposed to be getting out of the hospital. It was just as well that Chuck had decided not to send her back to the private hospital. Georgina couldn't very well resurrect her other persona Olivia George. Things had been different when the awakened Queen had been little more than an effing vegetable.

Her phone buzzed, drawing her attention. No phone call. Just a simple text. Two words, making Georgina's smile grow all the more. The text only said "It's done," but the wonderful implications had her laughing out loud.

The flight attendant came over to check on her, she smiled nervously catching sight of the cellphone cradled in her hand, "Good news?"

"Oh, the best. How about another drink?" She gulped down the rest and held out her empty glass.

"Uh…" The woman started to say something but seemed to change her mind at the last moment, "Right away, Miss Evans."

"Ms."

"Of course." She practically snatched the flute and hurried off.

Georgina sighed, settling back, content to relax and plot her next move. Chuck would probably keep Blair under lock and key for the next little while but he'd have no such inclinations for his beautiful blonde sis.

Maybe Henderson could be useful towards that end as well. Hmm…it certainly something to consider. Definitely.

~ஐ~

It'd always fascinated him, lifesblood. That which one needed as much as air to live. Blue with the veins but reacting at the merest hint of oh-two and blooming familiar crimson. He never really admitted how much the hue mesmerized him, how much the entire process drew him. Too morbid for most people to truly understand.

It was why he'd gone into his chosen profession or at least it represented a large reasoning behind his decision. Studying the body and figuring out how it worked. The weakness of human fraility and fighting against that very natural progression with his experiments.

He thought again of Blair Waldorf. His triumph.

His hand sticky and uncomfortable with drying blood, he turned to the man who'd driven them to this place. The one responsible for ebbing flow of blood that'd left his hand drenched earlier.

"You shouldn't have cut so deep." McCarty said. "It wasn't necessary. Though, again I thank you for warning me of Bass' true intentions."

The bigger man shrugged. His expression almost bored.

McCarty stared around the ratty little hotel room he now found himself. Completely the polar opposition of the suite they'd left in ruins. Wallpaper water-stained and peeling. Windows too murky and cloudy to let in anything more than the light itself into the room. On either side, the deuling sound of televisions played beyond the wilting wallpaper. And this was what he'd come to…oh but what a difference a few hours could make. From the veritable lap of luxury to this quite literal shithole.

The other man had shown up at the suite flashing a badge and telling the doctor that they needed to get out of their before Bass could arrive. The police detective had revealed their mutual acquaintance and told McCarty that Chuck Bass was working with the authorities to have the doctor arrested and stripped of his medical license. He was told that Bass wanted payback for putting his girlfriend at risk.

His words hadn't seemed to far off the mark. Indeed they reminded him of the incident…the last time he'd seen Bass face-to-face and the ungrateful bastard had attacked him. _Him_. The only person willing to help…to do more than offer false platitudes and advise the younger man that he was better off moving on…that Blair wouldn't be coming back. He hadn't done any of those things…no he'd given her back to Bass and what did the traitor offer in return…nothing. Nothing more than betrayal.

At least with Sparks and her associate he knew what he was getting into. He'd stick around long enough to gather the funds he needed and backers and then he'd present his research. Hell, he could send his research off to the medical journals.

With great risk there were even greater rewards. He knew that. He'd learned that and he'd been certain that Bass had as well.

"So? What's next? We leave the blood at the Palace to throw them off the trail. Make them think that I've been taken or that I'd dead…all the while I get my research publish…"

Henderson shook his head.

"No?"

"Nope."

"I don't understand. I hope you don't expect me to just disappear and leave my hard work unclaimed."

"Nah, " Henderson said. "You're not going to disappear. Not really, anyway."

McCarty shifted uncomfortably under the weight of that cold stare, feeling the sudden urge to loosen his collar. His hand exploded with pain and it took a moment to realize that injured hand was fisted against his chest, fresh blood seeping onto the formerly white cloth binding his wound. "Well, not for long. I need to get my work published. Can't have some poaching everything that I've done…my data."

"Don't worry doctor. You'll resurface soon."

Something in the other man's expression had McCarty taking a step back.

Henderson smiled suddenly, taking in the action. Predator recognizing the inherent weakness of his prey. "I'll make sure there's enough left to identify you…eventually."

Suddenly, his gross miscalculation came to him. Something feral in the detective's manner, reminding him of Georgina Sparks. How had he forgotten? She was the real danger in this. She wasn't the one to be trusted, not Bass. Maybe the kid was pissed but he'd needed McCarty. His brain and his knowledge of the woman who'd sent this sociopath after him.

How had he forgotten.

"I have money. I'll leave. I'll disappear for real." He tried. "You and Georgina don't have to worry about me ever coming back."

"I know." Henderson murmured.

"I won't say anything."

"No. You won't." The big man moved then, graceful predator. Taking one step and then the next.

The image of his blood seeping into the light, plush carpet at the Palace came to McCarty and he wondered how his lifesblood would look in this place, splattered across faded wallpaper.

The instinct to survive, to breathe kicked in, though he knew it was useless, his feet automatically carrying him away from the thing stalking him and surveying the room for something of use…but there was nothing. He started to call out for help but the cry lodged in his throat. Who would come anyway? The sound would fade and seep into the walls…just another show being played next door.

~ஐ~

"You ready?"

"Hmm?" Blair shook herself, realizing that she'd been drifting. Lost in herself as familiar scenery flashed by outside the limo, time hurrying along with it. She thought and dreamed everything. Felt and saw nothing in that span of time.

Serena's query did the task of shaking her awake into awareness of her surroundings.

"Tired, B?"

"I'm fine." She replied, her tone unconvincing to her own ears. Blair stroked the silken fabric of her dress. Still feeling overdressed for a tea party but the girls had insisted.

"It's okay. We're here." Serena smiled.

Blair looked to her friend and then outside. She searched for the sign, the restaurant that would serve as the setting of their tea party. Instead she found a building and doorman in full uniform, an ever present smile and epaulets.

It wasn't the graying man who held her attention though. It was rather the one who stepped forward as the limo pulled to a stop. He motioned for the doorman to stay back when the older man would've come to hold the door open for them.

It seemed that she wasn't the only one who was overdressed for their "tea party."

She glanced at the twins who giggled behind their hands, "I didn't know Daddy was invited to our little party."

"Oh, yeah." Kat mentioned, nodding as if it had indeed slipped her mind.

Blair turned to Serena. "S, where exactly are we having this _tea party_?"

Serena shrugged, not bothering to hide her smile. "I don't know. Maybe you should get out…answers can't be hard to find."

"S…"

"_B_…"

Evie smiled, pointing to herself, "E" and then at her twin, "K…now Daddy's waiting for you. Go Mommy. Hurry up." She bounced, her tone insistent, as if her father were liable to disappear like Cinderella's carriage at midnight.

That was a bit of what Blair suddenly felt like. Cinderella arriving at the Ball with her Prince just in reach. She refused to think about the disasters that midnight had brought for the fairytale princess. That wasn't her life anyway. This was. The girls. Serena. Chuck. Her life, flaws and all.

Serena and the twins moved at once, pushing playfully at Blair, trying to get her closer to the door even as Chuck pulled it open.

His eyes darted from one face to another, finally landing on Blair, taking in the sight of her with a low whistle of appreciation. "I see that you ladies were able to keep yourselves busy in my absence."

"Doesn't Mommy look pretty?" Evie darted out of the car, beating her sister by half a second.

"Your mother looks gorgeous. Which is nothing new?"

"And what about me and Kat?" the girl twirled, her dress flaring out around her.

"Just as beautiful as Mommy." He held his hand out to Blair, "My lady…your—er tea party awaits."

"I'll bet." She rolled her eyes but took his hand nonetheless.

The foursome started away from the limo with Serena letting herself out. The blonde hurried after the little family as the doorman held the door open for them.

"What is this place, Bass?" Blair asked, glancing around.

Chuck smiled, staring into her eyes. "Don't you know?"

Chewing on her bottom lip, the brunette shook her head, her body unconsciously leaning into his.

"It's home, Waldorf." He slipped a hand beneath her chin and leaned close to whisper in her ear. "Welcome home."

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N:** And with that…she's home . Henderson is beyond a baddie. Georgie's an evil bitch but don't think she's actually murdered anyone. This is the guy after our UES crew. The boys need to unravel that mystery and fast. There's so much more to this story to tell and I'm in it for the long haul. I hope you guys are too. I thank you all for your amazingly kind words and those who have favorited/subbed this story. As always, let me know what you're thinking. Love to all *kiss*

Oh…I'm also updating Crash Into Me. Check it out if you haven't read it yet. ;). Even if you haven't seen HIMYM…it's more about CB than anything else.

Courtney


	34. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N: **New chapter for you patient people. Just days after the first in forever and ever. I'm on a roll. Fingers crossed to keep things that way. What I'm aiming to do is to update both _**And They All…**_ and _**Crash Into Me **_at least twice a week so that's *fingerscrossed* four updates a week. Win? Okay and if its more than that. Even better. All right so last chapter left off with McCarty missing from where Chuck and the boys expected him to be and more importantly Blair back where she always belonged. Home.

I don't have a beta anymore. Some things slip by me even after I've stared at it a few thousand times so forgive any mistakes you may find in this, large or small. Just the story…enjoy it. This is dedicated to CB lovers and most especially to my girls (you know who you are MWAH!!!

* * *

**Chapter 33**

_Home. _She tested the word on her tongue and just stared at him.

He returned her gaze, the beginnings of that infuriating and sexy grin teasing the corners of his mouth. "You didn't figure it out. Losing your touch, Waldorf. I thought for sure that you'd catch on."

"I knew you were up to something." She was quick to reply. It was only the what that remained hazed in mystery. Sneaky Basstard.

She glanced around the lobby, taking it all in. The tasteful décor, gleaming wood and gilded frames. Chuck was watching her expectantly, as if waiting for her stamp of approval and they hadn't even made it past the first floor yet. Still, she loved it and told him without words, her mouth curving and fingers threading through his.

The woman at the front desk looked up, smiling as they passed, "Good Evening, Mr. Bass."

Blair resisted the urge to roll her eyes or even glare a hole into the little idiot. She couldn't believe the nerve. Making cow eyes at Chuck right in front of her…and their children. Granted she probably had no idea who…

"Miss Waldorf." She turned to Blair next, surprising her with a warm, welcoming expression.

Okay so maybe she did know and it was a fair possibility that she hadn't been just flirting with Chuck. No reason for getting all territorial and it was Chuck who casually threw an arm around Blair's waist. He tipped his head to the younger woman and kept moving along.

Blair relaxed against him, listening as the woman went on to greet Serena and the twins in a similar manner. Guess she was just being nice after all. But really. Some people were just too damn perfect for their own damn good.

Serena twisted around, pinning her bestie with a knowing glance.

The brunette rolled her eyes in response and resisted the urge to stick her tongue out.

Her best friend started to turn again but her eyes widened, arrested by something over Blair's shoulder. Confusion and worry flashed across her face before she was dragging blue eyes back to brown. Any trace of the humor that had flowed between them, melting away, "Uh, B."

Chuck glanced between them, a hand resting at the base of her spine. He'd felt her body go rigid against his. The girls turned as well, unconsciously attuned to the sudden electricity in the air. They looked from their parents to the same something that had arrested Serena's attention before. Only their reaction was markedly different, their confusion giving way to delighted smiles.

"Grandpa Cyrus." Kat called out, confirming Blair's grim predictions. Eleanor wouldn't be put off any longer.

She sighed, taking every moment she could not to face her mother. Blair wasn't sure that she'd be able to look the other woman in the eye.

Blair didn't want her daughters present the inevitable face-to-face with the woman who'd carried her for nine months and then shoved her off on other people to be raised. If there had been a way to have someone else handle the former, Blair had a figure that her mother would've hired help for that as well. "Serena, would you mind taking Kat and Evie upstairs?"

At first it seemed as though Serena would protest. Instead, she nodded, capturing the twins' hands in her own. "Come on, guys."

"But…" Evie started, frowning at the adults and their strained expressions.

"Evie, go." Chuck said, suddenly getting the feeling that he knew all too well what was about to go down, especially once he caught sight of Blair's stepfather. Chuck glanced between his sister and the woman he loved, his eyes slightly accusing as they met Serena's.

Blair hadn't waited for answers after all. She'd gotten them from her best friend instead. Just how much had Serena said.

He glanced over at the brunette at his side. Her whole focus seemed to be on the trio making a beeline for the waiting elevator, but he could see the wheels turning and feel her body tense up all the more as if the coming confrontation would be more than an assault on the emotions. "Blair, I…"

"Not now, Bass. We'll talk later." She tried to pull away, but her hand was firmly tucked within his. "Chuck, I need to do this on my own."

"Well, that's just too damn bad because that's not how this works. I don't know all that's happened between you and Eleanor while I was away but no way in hell am I budging from this spot. I didn't want you being on your own when you knew and finally saw her…"

"I wasn't. I didn't actually see her." Blair said, "We spoke earlier. Briefly. Besides, I thought we'd reached an understanding but obviously that's not the case if she's here. Look you don't have to leave me…I wouldn't want that anyway. Just let me do the talking."

"Are you sure?"

"Chuck." She squeezed his hand, her expression fierce. "You've been fighting my mother for the past five years but I should've been the one finally standing up to her. I need to do this."

Sighing, he brought her hand to his lips, brushing them gently across her knuckles. Then he let her go. Motioning her for her to lead on.

Blair wanted nothing more than to pull him back to her and make a run for the elevator. Instead she turned to face her mother and came face-to-face with Cyrus. She looked beyond him, around the lobby but didn't spot her mother at first glance. Her eyes swept the lobby again and turned up nothing.

"Hello, Blair. Chuck." Cyrus greeted, his usual enthusiasm and smiling visage dimmed with the gravity of the day's events.

"Where is she?" Blair demanded, regret surging through her not for decision about her mother. That simply had to be done, but she regretted most the collateral damage. The look on Evie and Kat's faces when they'd caught sight of her stepfather. And Cyrus. The little man stood in front of her with his eyes void of judgment or anger. He looked saddened by all that'd passed.

"She's not here," He informed them.

"I can see that. Where is she? What is she out there…waiting for you to report in?" Had her mother sent Cyrus to make her feel guilty? To find out how firm Blair was in her decision. Well, if that was the case, Eleanor Rose was in for the shock of her life. Her mother probably thought that she'd just cave and change her mind after a few carefully worded apologies.

"She's gone."

Blair almost didn't hear him at first. Two short words with far too much meaning behind them. "Gone?"

"Yes. You asked her to go and she did," he sighed, "With the plane ticket you yourself provided."

"Oh." Her mother had gone. Defying all expectations to the contrary and for once thinking of someone other than herself and what she wanted. This was what she'd wanted, Blair reassured herself. It was the right thing for everybody.

She flinched. Her mother had used the same reasoning when she'd given Evie to strangers. Blair held on that, letting it dull the sudden ache in her chest at the realization that her mother hadn't come after all. She hadn't stayed to fight.

That's not what you wanted, she told herself. Repeating it again and again. Eleanor was on a plane at that very moment and they were done. _She _was home with Chuck and their girls. That was all that mattered.

She felt Chuck's hand settle at the base of her spine, again, massaging gently. As if he understood the push and pull of thoughts. Blair turned her head, eyes locking with his. Heat burned the back of her eyes at what she saw. He did. He understood all too well.

She'd cut her mother out of her life and proclaimed the woman all but dead to her. It was different with Bart, but so much the same. Chuck hadn't willingly cut all ties with the father he'd loved, and his death was so much more final than her mother's exile. Still, Chuck had always been left wanting in the relationship with his father. Trying so very hard to be a good son and always somehow falling short in the man's eyes. In that she and Chuck were the same.

Blair was glad that he'd stayed with her and couldn't have seen this task through without him. "Is that the only reason you came? Or are you going to tell me how wrong I am for hurting my mother this way…"

"Honestly. It never crossed my mind. I just left her there at the airport. She wouldn't let me go with her. Said she needed some time to herself to think. I left the airport and couldn't think of where to go. Then suddenly I needed to get here. Needed you to know that she's done as you asked." Cyrus frowned, "I know you're hurting, right now. Still stinging from everything..."

"Please don't defend her, Cyrus. Just don't." Blair gulped beyond the lump in her throat, resisting the urge to hug the little man who appeared just as lost she suddenly felt. Yes, angry still and for always but the emotions she'd been pushing down and running away from as surely as she'd been running from the threat of Eleanor were boiling to the surface. "It does hurt. It always will."

He nodded, so understanding. She suddenly wanted to hug him. Just as he'd done for her on the day that they'd buried Bart Bass. She wished that he didn't have to be in the middle. He'd supported her in so many ways during that time after the funeral and then without Chuck.

"Listen. Maybe in a while, you could stop by to visit the girls. They're really crazy about you, you know." she offered.

"And the feeling is returned entirely." He started to smile but just that quickly it died away, his eyes dim with the hopelessness of the entire situation.

Blair frowned, "About my mother. I know you love her and get to see a different side of her than the one that she's always reserved for the world and her family. This was the last straw, Cyrus and she knows that. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gotten on that plane."

"Yes, you're mother can be quite stubborn. You get that from her." His soft chuckle came out strangled. He cleared his throat, "Well, you two are all dressed up. I should probably let you get on with your plans. Enjoy your New Year, kids."

Blair looked at Chuck as her stepfather turned to go. He shrugged unhelpfully.

"It's your call, Waldorf." Chuck murmured, understanding her unspoken words.

She made a face. "Cyrus, wait. Why don't you come up? You shouldn't be alone tonight."

The man's round face broke into a smile, lighting up his eyes for just a moment and he reached out, his hand cupping her shoulder.

"Not enough." Blair croaked, pulling away from Chuck and throwing her arms around her stepfather, dragging a startled "ompf" from the man.

His arms came around her. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry. I really am."

"I know."

"I want to hate her. I really want to but I can't." Blair said, "I need you to understand. Please."

"Aw, little girl." Cyrus stepped back, reaching into his pocket and coming up with a clean handkerchief. "I understand. I do."

Chuck cleared his throat, "Maybe we should take this upstairs."

"I'd like that," Cheeks hot and damp with tears, she accepted the silken cloth from her mother's husband. "Will you come up? The girls already saw you and they'll ask way too many questions if we go up there with out you."

"If you'd like."

"I would." And she really did. Her relationship with her mother was casualty enough. Threading one arm through Chuck's and the other through Cyrus, Blair sighed, "Well, let's get this show on the road. My party awaits."

Chuck cleared his throat, "Actually, if Cyrus wouldn't mind heading up without us. There's something that I wanted you to see first."

"Of course." Cyrus startled them both with another hug before he let go. They walked to the elevators together but he went up with out them. Some of his old enthusiasm back in his manner and expression but there was an sadness that hadn't been there before.

One Blair couldn't help but feel responsible for. Lost in thought she allowed herself to be maneuvered into the next elevator. As the door slipped shut, Chuck turned to her, surveying her expression.

"Blair…listen," he stepped in front of her, his expression serious. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being the one to tell you. I know you wanted full disclosure about your mother. About everything." Chuck reached out, his fingertips skimming the curve of her cheek, twining in her hair.

She could see them there. The secrets in his eyes and the edge of his tongue. They left her edgy and nervous. Making her wonder what more she could stand to lose. Blair leaned into the hand cupping her jaw. She was so afraid, "You're right. I want it all…no more secrets. Not between you and me."

"I know. God, I know."

"I don't care how bad." _Liar_, a voice accused and she tamped down. "Still, I have one request."

"Anything." He watched her.

"Well. First, I want my surprise. Then you're taking me to my party." She said matter-of-factly, "Show me a good time before midnight. Before the footmen become mice and my carriage…"

Chuck cut her off, "Waldorf, I'm going to be extremely insulted if you compare my limo to a pumpkin so tread carefully. And what makes you think there's a party?"

She returned his smirk with one of her own. She looked pointedly at their outfits. "We're not exactly dressed for a night of basketball…popcorn and old movies."

"Well, maybe we have a stricter dress code. Or would you prefer slipping on a pair of those jeans you've taken to wearing." He retorted, "You'll get no complaints from me if that's the case."

"You're not going to distract me that easily, Bass. Nice try, though." Blair told him, "My surprise, then my party."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Stubborn and demanding."

"Yes. Don't pretend it doesn't turn you on."

"Wouldn't dream of it." The elevator came to a smooth stop. "Let's go, Waldorf. You insisted and now we're here."

He stepped from the elevator and left her follow.

~ஐ~

Nate didn't mind being left behind to review the video feed. With direct orders from his best friend, the hotel's security team had executed a thorough and discreet search of the hotel, looking for any sign of McCarty. Incapacitated or otherwise. Of course Chuck didn't go into anymore detail than his people needed, which was next to nothing.

Hours after Dan and Chuck had gone, Nate was beginning to get that all too familiar feeling that they'd reached another dead end. Remembering the blood left in McCarty's suite, Nate couldn't help wondering just how close to the truth he might be with that statement.

He remembered his lieutenant's words. The man was right. His priorities were definitely screwed up. Instead of locking down the possible crime scene, he'd let Chuck and Dan wander throughout, possibly contaminating evidence. Then when he should've called it in, he'd let Chuck talk him into keeping things quiet.

Despite it all, Nate knew he wouldn't do it any differently were he able to go back. Still. How much longer could they keep the entire investigation to themselves and now McCarty's disappearance.

Shit. He watched and re-watched the footage, searching out someone who fit the description that he'd gotten from Chuck. He watched until he was no longer sure what he was even looking for, his eyes drier each time he watched the stupid DVD they'd copied for him.

The young officer watched frame after frame from floors throughout the hotel, looking for one face that would stand out but after a while they began blurring together. It even too him, for his own image to register when he'd come down earlier.

He looked for familiar images. People who didn't quite seem to belong. Nate watch those who couldn't make themselves blend into the background as mere static, then he looked to those who blended quite well.

No McCarty. No suspicious figures.

Cursing, he hit the button to start again. Checking the lobby DVD, yet again.

Chin cradled in his hand, Nate yawning trying to make himself focus and see what he'd missed before. There had to be something. No way, McCarty could've just disappeared.

Again. He watched Dan step off the elevator, having abandoned his post to cater to his best friend. Don't go there, he warned himself. Focus. Come on, he shook himself, eyes on the time stamp.

Fifteen minutes. They'd all been downstairs for just that long or short of time and somehow managed to lose their first real lead in this. Or at least so Chuck thought. Didn't the fact that McCarty was nowhere to be found, back up his friend's suspicions.

Nate was sure it did.

Cameras on the elevators, in the stairways, and main thoroughfares, somehow there were none to be found outside the actual rooms. Nate didn't see anyone of interest. No one on McCarty's floor. Once with the Lobby dvd, he thought he'd spotted a familiar form.

Because he knew him on sight or because Chuck had given him that description, Nate wasn't really sure. More than once, he willed the figure to give him a clearer view and look towards the camera but no such luck.

Nate frowned. In all the footage, he'd looked through, he never actually saw the man on the stairs or in the elevator. It wasn't as if their mystery man was leaving the hotel. He was walking towards the elevators, but didn't get on.

He glanced at the time stamp and as he did, right on schedule Dan stepped off. Right then, Nate noticed something that he hadn't before. The figure of the man with his body perpetually turned from the camera had stiffened. He'd gone still at the sight of Dan Humphrey.

Dan never once glanced in the man's direction but headed straight for the door. But the man watched Dan. Surreptitious to be sure but Nate would be just about anything that the mystery man had tracked the reporter's every moment until he was out of sight.

Then the man was on the move again. Where was he going? Past the elevators but where.

Nate looked through the neat stack of DVDs. Floors, stairwells, and elevators. Something more pulled at his attention. He frowned, trying to think what it was as he slipped in another. Watching hallways. Housekeeping with their carts. Patrons in the bar. Servers in the kitchen.

Smiling suddenly, Nate realized exactly what he'd been missing. What he'd neglected to even wonder at.

The staff. Could it have been one of the staff? He shuffled through the DVDs that he'd been given and came up with one he'd managed to neglect until now. Too focused on the most obvious and public. When he should've been checking areas where the staff traveled most frequently.

Their guy wasn't on the main elevator or stairwells but what about the service elevator?

Feeling his focus sharpen, he sat up straighter. A new excitement rushing through him as if he were on the brink of some great discovery.

Son-of-a-bitch. I got you now, he thought as he slipped the DVD into the player.

~ஐ~

From one room to the next, they wandered, her silence pulling at him as much as her earlier excitement. Why in the hell wasn't she saying anything. He grew more and more nervous as they toured every inch of the newly renovated apartment. The living space downstairs that had been completely transformed. When they'd first walked in, it'd seemed as if they'd walked into an upscale health club rather than an apartment on the Upper Eastside. He'd given the contractor and decorators exacting specifications of the space and equipment that would be needed for Blair's physical rehab.

"Oh. Wow." She'd murmured at first sight of the apartment, turning on him with a soft smile. But that curving mouth had slowly lost its shape the more of the apartment they toured, from the kitchen to the upstairs bedrooms. He looked around, knowing that the décor had been tastefully done and was on track with what she'd would've had done herself in the past.

On the stairs, he watched her glance towards the suite of bedrooms they'd just left and then back downstairs to the array of machines, hand weights, and mats that she'd no doubt become very familiar with in the coming weeks.

What had he gotten wrong? Fuck. One way to know for sure.

She beat him to the punch, finally giving him her full attention. Expression blank and tone matter-of-fact as she spoke. "So…I'll be staying here rather than your place. I suppose that's a better alternative than months at another hospital."

And suddenly her reaction made perfect sense, sending relief coursing through him. He ducked his head, pretending sudden interest in the wall's color scheme. Chuck hid the smile curving his mouth as he echoed her words, "I suppose."

Blair glanced around, brow furrowed, "And the twins could spend the night here with me every now and again."

"They'd like that," he nodded, "And what about me, Waldorf? Do I not merit an invite, as well?"

"I wouldn't count on it, Bass." Blair countered waspishly. She turned on her heel and made her way downstairs, hand gripping the baluster.

Feigning boredom, Chuck followed, "_Well_ that settles things nicely."

"Yes, it does." A moment passed before she was eyeing him again, "What things?"

"Your living arrangements, of course." Chuck told her, scratching thoughtfully at his jaw. "Unless you'd like to reconsider my…uh sleepover privileges."

"Hmm…sorry. Don't think I will." She informed, that all too familiar smile curving her mouth again.

Feigning his regret, "Then you most definitely won't be staying here."

"I don't know, Bass. This place has a certain charm. It's starting to grow on me." She wandered among the machines, her fingers skimming cold hard metal. Blair wrinkled her nose, "Though, honestly, I wish you really wish you could put all of this in one of the guest rooms. Seriously, how am I supposed to receive guests with all of this…just here."

He took a moment, seeming to give the matter great thought. "Well, if you're referring to me. I think I could come up with a few ideas on just where and how you can receive me."

"Don't be crass." Blair censored, the flash of interest in those chocolate depths belying her words.

"Ah, but it's when you adore me most. Don't bother denying it."

"Would you be serious?" She sighed, glancing around the place again. "Just tell me. Was this place…did you intend this place for me?"

Chuck sobered, one unsettling thought hitting him like a punch to the midsection. Would she prefer this apartment to living with him and the girls upstairs? He only had to remember her disappointed earlier when she'd gone from the fully stocked kitchen to the clean linens in all of the bedrooms. "Hate to disappoint you, Waldorf but this place is just for your physical therapy. You'll be upstairs with me and the girls. Unless that's not what you want."

"Don't be an idiot, Bass. Of course, it's what I want." She said, "It's just. This place is so above and beyond what I expected. The bedrooms and kitchen threw me. All my favorites are in the fridge."

"That was Dorota's personal touch." He revealed, "B, don't be fooled. You're still getting better and I want to be able to help you with it, as much as, possible. After my father died, I never thought that anything else could rob me of my control and make me feel utterly helpless. Then I lost you."

"You didn't. Not really."

"It felt like it. I mean. You were there, but not really. I finally had everything that I could've ever wanted in my life. Except you." Chuck stepped behind her, wrapping his arms about her waist. His head butting against hers.

"Hmm. I guess sleepover privileges might not be such a tall order."

"Too late." he said. "You hurt my feelings already. Guess you're just going to have to come home with me."

"Guess so," Heads still close, she threaded her fingers through his. "Bass?"

"Yes?"

"What you said before? Downstairs?"

He frowned, searching his memory.

"Home. I love my surprise and I'm sure that I'll get to see more than enough of this place once my physical therapy gets started but right now….I'm ready to go home. Okay?"

"Of course."

Hands still joined they started for the door.

"So, Chuck?" Blair questioned as he locked up. "Who else is coming to my party tonight.'

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play games with me."

"Sorry. No games here. This place was your surprise. Now we're heading up for a nice evening inside."

"Over tea? The girls wanted a tea party."

"Which I'm certain they're setting up as we speak. As a matter of fact, I'm sure I spoke out of turn a moment ago. 'Who else is coming to your party'…lets see. There's Mr. Bear. Toad boy. That ugly rabbit thing."

Awed Blair's mouth dropped open even as she dug her elbow into his side. "Mr. Fritz. Don't insult Mr. Fritz." Blair didn't need to wonder who had resurrected her old stuffed animal from the toybox that'd been put away years before. She'd thought for certain that her mother had given all of her old toys away. Somehow Dorota must've saved it all before her mother could get her hands on them.

"Ready, Waldorf."

"Oh, trust me. You don't even need to ask."

~ஐ~

A bevy of familiar faces. The closest of family and friends. Some of those family members just as unexpected as those few friends who'd been included on the short guest list. Serena glanced around the tight group, Jenny off in one corner with the twins. Eric and his boyfriend of three years talking to Dorota. Harold and Roman chatting with Lily. Music played softly in the background, meshing with muted sound of conversation.

Serena couldn't say that she was actually surprised when Cyrus had stepped out of the elevator less than ten minutes after she and the girls had. Blair's stepfather had stood there his eyes wandering about the gathering of family and friends. As if he was searching out a particular face.

She knew instinctively that he was searching out Eleanor. The same way, she'd found herself looking for Dan until their eyes had locked and held. But Eleanor wasn't there.

She'd overheard bits and pieces of somber conversation between her mother and Harold. From that she gleaned the details of Eleanor's exile. Serena couldn't help but feel bad for them all. Eleanor included.

Serena tried putting herself in the older woman's position, despised and disowned by her only child. Her baby Alex. Not seeing his smile again. Smell his sweet baby smell or hear him calling out for her. Still, she understood the other side of it. Knowing that she'd want to do the same if Lily had taken her sweet Alex and given him to strangers to be raised.

Despite the growth of her own relationship with her mother…Lily settling more firmly in her role as mother to her two children and the boy she'd adopted as her own. If her mother had crossed that line, Serena knew that she'd have acted no differently than her best friend had.

Of their own volition, her blue eyes swept the room, unmindful of what they searched for until she was left wanting. Aching.

Another face in the crowd. A Smiling face and the lightweight burden in her arms.

Her Alex. Just as absent as Eleanor Waldorf-Rose.

"You are aware that a few weeks ago, this would've topped the list for the very last place that I expected to spend my New Year." A champagne glass pressed into her hand, Dan's eyes concerned and studying her despite his playful tone.

She flashed him a grateful look, gulping down the contents of the champagne glass. "So. There's a list, huh?" Serena finally asked, pushing away her sadness for the moment. It was just one night. She supposed she was being selfish. Alex was probably having a good time with Carter and the rest of the Baizen family.

"You'd be surprised."

"And the other list…Dan Humphrey's official New Year's Eve itinerary. If you were back in Chicago right now. Would you be back in your apartment, getting ready for bed or to watch the ball drop?"

"Hey…I'll have you know that I had plans for the evening that didn't include Dick Clark or my remote."

Serena chewed at her bottom lip, the action instinctive and more habit than effort to try driving Dan crazy, watching her mouth. "Hot date, huh?" She said, not doing a good job of covering her curiosity or the hint of jealousy in her tone. "You should've said something. We would've sent the jet for her."

Dan couldn't help smiling at her reaction, "Wow. It's as easy as that. Just like sending a limo to Brooklyn, huh." His words and tone were playfully. Intent on pulling a full on smile from the beautiful blonde before him.

Instead she frown, her eyes serious as she studied him. Long moments stretched into another before she finally stepped back. Shaking her head, as if she'd looked inside of him and found him lacking. "Wow."

"What's wrong?" He demanded, wondering if whatever had put that tortured look in her eyes earlier was back with a vengeance. But when he looked in her eyes he didn't see that unbearable sadness. Resentment and anger seethed in those blue eyes.

Serena shook her head, stepping back, her arms folded about her chest.

"Serena?"

"It's nothing. Really. Just déjà vu."

"Of what?"

"Just facts. About how some things just don't change." Serena said, "People. Carter's the same cretin he was a long time ago. I just fooled myself for a little while. Eleanor would've found other ways to ruin her relationship with Blair…maybe even did a lot of damage along the way…and you…"

"Me?" Dan stared at her, confused. Not sure where she was coming from with this. "What about me…Look, I was kidding before. There's no hot date back in Chicago. If that's the problem."

"Things would be so much easier if it were. No, our problems always stemmed from the same issues…money and background."

"Why are we talking about this? Look, I've got an idea. About a second ago, we were talking and laughing. How about we go back?"

She shook hear head, "We can't."

"And why do I get the feeling that we're talking about something else here?"

"It's better to stop things here and now. Stop stirring up the past and old feelings. We should just focus on all the reasons why we never worked."

Dan argued, despite his own previous resolve to keep things friendly and leave romance by the wayside. "What if we could now? Five years is a very long time…I think we've both changed."

"Not really. I'm still the spoiled wild child that you fell for in high school and you're still…"

"The boy from Brooklyn…I remember."

"That's not what I was going to say, but you just proved my point. I don't care about your background Dan or how much money your family has or whether or not they ride around in taxis or limos. That was always your problem. I accepted you for who you were but you couldn't do that for me." Serena said.

Dan recalled his earlier joke about the limo and Brooklyn. "I was kidding."

"Not really and I've made enough mistakes in the past. It'd be one thing if it was just me, but I've got Alex to think about here."

"You're right." He said after a moment, glancing away from her. "I judged you and your world in the past but when we were together and not together and together and not together again…I became a part of your life. Your world. The people you called friends were connected to my life and I got to know them as people…understand them more so than if I'd just been on the outside looking in."

"Dan…"

"Let me finish…I've changed. A lot over the years. Nothing's made me realize that more than being back here and helping Chuck and Nate with the arson investigation. I think I understand your world and the people in it, far better than you know. And judging me by my mistakes in the past would be just as bad as what you accuse me off." He shook his head, grabbing the empty champagne glass from her clinging fingers. "Do you need another drink…I could use another drink…I'll get us one."

Stepping away from her, he muttered something unintelligible and was off before she could answer him either way.

Serena didn't move, her feet feeling as if they were cemented to the floor and her tongue glued to the top of her mouth. She should call him back and…apologize? She was just as confused as he seemed to be about how their friendly teasing and joking had completely twisted into that same old argument.

Yes, his words had touched a nerve, but of course Dan wasn't the same guy that he'd been in high school, unyielding and downright one-sided in his judgments. She'd seen that for herself with the guys all working together. The past of who they'd been and who they were now, having no bearing as they worked together to find the arsonist.

Deep down, Serena knew that she was starting to fall for him all over again. Breakfast. Long telephone conversations and grabbing those little moments in his company. Even when searching out Nate the night before, Serena had been happy just being with him.

That scared her beyond belief. She'd never loved anyone in quite the way that she'd loved Dan Humphrey and their breakup had hurt like nothing else. What she was feeling now, felt more. Mature and deeper. Serena couldn't leave herself open to be so wrecked again. She had Alex to worry about this time, too.

So Dan's harmless joke had opened old wounds and bad memories of why they could never really be.

She wanted to call him back to her, even pried open her mouth to do it. He looked around as if he heard her silent call. Their eyes locked in confusion and hurt, but the moment passed and they hurt the commotion around them as the elevator doors opened once more and out stepped the guest of honor.

Her best friend's expression was one of mock surprise that probably did little to convince even the twins. Especially with the knowing gaze and quirked brow that she turned on the man at her side.

Serena tore her gaze away from the look between the two lovers. She looked to Dan, but he'd already turned away.

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N:** Blair's home with her family, sans her mother. Chuck's place her place and the apartment downstairs her very own personal physical rehab. Chuck, he finally has everything he ever wanted but secrets and dangers still following in his wake. Cyrus. So much love there. Even with Eleanor exiled, no way can he be cut out of this family affair. Will Nate spot Georgie's partner and his own fellow police officer, Henderson? And DS…they're on…they're off…they're on…feels like old times again. Will the same demons and troubles that plagued them before be what keeps them apart this time or is there something else on the horizon that could throw yet another wrench into their attempts at romance. Only time and more chapters will tell the tale. Hope you liked this one. I loved writing it. Will update asap. As always let me know what you're thinking.

Courtney


	35. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N: **New chapter for you patient people. Borrowed my little sister's laptop again to get this one out today. Hopefully my new one will be here sooooon. I'm just going to let you guys jump right it. It picks up where the last left after. Blair's homecoming. I don't have a beta anymore. Some things slip by me even after I've stared at it a few thousand times so forgive any mistakes you may find in this, large or small. Just the story…enjoy it. This is dedicated to CB lovers and most especially to my girls.

* * *

**Chapter 34**

Across the room, the duo happily trading verbal barbs and swipes were oblivious to the new tension straining between Serena and the boy she'd loved. The man she was falling for all over again.

Chuck smiled down at Blair, taking in her expression. "Waldorf, I know it's been a while but smug does not equate to gracious surprise."

Her back turned to the group scattered about the room, Blair pulled a face and stuck out her tongue at him.

His eyes still trained on hers, Chuck leaned close, his lips grazing her cheek as he whispered for her ears alone, "Try that again later and you have my word that you'll get the…uh, proper response."

"Promises, promises, Bass. You're just full of them."

"Yes, and if you recall. I always make good on them." Chuck stepped away, sultry promise in the curve of his mouth and amber eyes.

Her blood ran hot, belly somersaulting at the intense thrill of his words and expression. Blair's lips parted, the tip of her tongue darted out again, sweeping across her bottom lip. "Well, later I might need a reminder." She couldn't help her soft retort, giving him a taste of what she was feeling before she turned away. Her expression as smug as before and eyes lingering all too briefly on the bulge that told her just how much she affected him.

Chuck settled back, working to rein himself in as all eyes landed on Blair. Her father hurrying forward to welcome his little girl and their daughters trailing not far behind.

"Mommy. Mommy. Weren't you really surprised? Tell Kat we surprised you."

"You did, baby." Blair assured, lying through her teeth.

Kat rolled her eyes as her twin turned on her, hands planted firmly on her hips and expression indignant. "Told you so, Kat. Now say you're sorry for calling me a 'big mouth.' Tell her Grandma."

Lily sighed. "Say you're sorry, Kat."

"I'm sorry, but no Grandma."

"Why not?" Evie demanded.

Kat crossed her arms, "Because that would be lying. I'm not sorry and you _do _have a big mouth. Mommy, tell her that would be lying."

"No, make her say she's sorry, Mommy."

Both girls crowded on either of Blair, glaring at one another and looking to their mother with identical looks of expectation.

Blair looked between the twosome, everything and everyone else fading into the background as either child insisted she pick a side.

"Mommy, tell her." Evie stomped her feet.

"No, tell _her._"

Their mother did neither of those things, looking between them and wondering how she was supposed to referee this one. "Um…"

"Katherine Lillian Bass."

Now that was different. Blair and the twins all froze at the stern tone.

Evie smirked at her sister, certain that victory was in her grasp. She wouldn't gloat. Not much anyway. All she wanted was for her twin to say she was sorry. That wasn't asking a lot. Not really.

"Evelyn Cornelia Bass."

Uh-oh. The little girl looked away from her sister to her father's stern expression. Their father never yelled, but they could tell when they'd done something wrong. He'd get really, really quiet and he'd get _that _look on his face. It was seriously the only time she ever heard her middle name.

"Remember what we talked about earlier. Mommy just got home. I want you young ladies on your best behavior...no overwhelming her with your war of words. No name-calling. No lying."

Blair frowned. Yes, she'd blanked out for a moment there when she should've stepped up and reined the girls in but that didn't mean she couldn't have handled the situation. And she most definitely didn't want Chuck insulating her. She'd missed so much when it came to being a mother to Evie and Kat. She didn't want to miss anymore. Whether it was recitals, shopping, or girly days at Bliss. She wanted it all. Even the knock down dragouts and sisterly squabbles sure to come even more frequently when they got older. The very last thing she needed was Chuck "protecting" her, excluding her from any part of that.

Something else that she and Chuck were going to have to talk about. Later. Much later.

The girls mumbled their apologies, offering up mournful expressions and pouting glances.

Blair hid a smile, knowing exactly what they were about. Putting on a pitiful display for the man whose severe expression faltered almost immediately. She looked to her own father and found him watching her with a smile.

"If I hadn't seen them do it at least a hundred times over the past few years, I'd think that you'd given them lessons." Harold pulled her close. "Hello, Blair."

"Hi, Daddy."

"Are you okay?" He asked after a moment, pulling back to study her.

Chuck moved away, giving them as semblance of privacy, taking Evie and Kat with him.

"A little tired, I guess. Busy day after all, but the doctors gave me a clean bill of health before they discharged me." She said.

"Blair-bear." Harold frowned, "You know that's not what I'm asking. I spoke with Eleanor a while ago."

"Daddy. Let me stop you right there."

"Blair."

"No. I can't talk about _her_ right now. I don't want to think about her." She whispered, her eyes unconsciously seeking out Cyrus, some part of her afraid that he'd hear those words. The reminder that she'd sent his wife away and that he'd hate her for it.

But no. There he was with Lily and Roman. That familiar smile and hearty laugh ringing out.

"I understand, sweetheart."

"Good. You and Roman leave tomorrow and I don't want anything to ruin our time together."

Harold nodded his understanding, though she could tell he wanted to say more.

"Daddy, please."

"I won't. Not another word about Eleanor, but I'm feeling a little selfish."

Blair tipped her head, her brow furrowed, "Selfish? I don't…"

"When I spoke with your mother, I started to wonder if I was next."

"What?" She froze, "Don't be silly."

He held up a hand, "Let me finish, Blair-bear. After the divorce, I know I wasn't there for you as much as I should've been. When everything happened with your mother, you shouldn't have had to move in with Lily. I should have been here. None of this might be happening if I'd been there."

"I didn't tell you. And honestly. I think I needed to be with Serena and Lily right there. Strangely enough it made me feel closer to Chuck and I needed that." She admitted.

"I wish you'd have told me what a difficult time you were having with the pregnancy…with everything."

Cheeks flaming, she shifted from one foot to another, avoiding her father's eyes. Five years before, Blair had been embarrassed and terrified of the idea of her father being disappointed in her. He wouldn't have said it, of course, but how could he have been anything but disappointed to have his teenage daughter pregnant before she'd even graduated high school. After Eleanor kicked her out, it wasn't a question of calling her father. Besides, the idea that he might've come running hadn't even seemed like the remotest of possibilities.

"I just wanted you to know how very sorry I am."

"Daddy, you have nothing to worry about. You're not the one whose spent the past five years pretending that Evie and Kat don't exist. You _did _come home and you helped Chuck get our daughter back…you came back for me and I love you for it. I do." She said, "Promise. Now can we get back to my party. Who is that with Eric? Is that the boyfriend? I want details…where is S?"

Blair threaded her arm through her father's leaning into him as she scanned the room, looking for her best friend. She waved to Jenny and even had a smile for Dan Humphrey. Looked like the gang was present and accounted for. Well all except Nate. She wondered briefly at his absence and promised herself that she'd ask Chuck or Serena about it.

God, she hoped he wasn't stuck working or worse yet, off somewhere moping over Vanessa. She almost shuddered at the idea of her old friend being reduced to that. It was New Years Eve. Nate shouldn't be alone. He should be with his best friends in the world. She looked around for Chuck, spotting him off to the side talking to Dan.

The two actually looked as if they were having a real conversation, rather than their old routine of either ignoring one another's presence entirely or trading barbs built on years of mutual dislike. They looked so intense, though and she'd bet anything that they weren't discussing the Knicks or Rangers.

There was an air of conspiracy around the unlikely pair that left her wondering.

~ஐ~

Massaging eyes that felt as if someone had taken a blowtorch to them, Nate slumped back in the cab, trying not to feel discouraged. He'd watched the DVDs countless times. Something familiar tugging at his memory. He was missing some important detail and it galled the hell out of him.

It was their mystery guy. The very same who'd tried so hard to stay out of Dan's line of vision when Humphrey had come downstairs to console Vanessa. The same who'd used the service elevator and somehow manage to obscure his face from being captured by the camera.

Nate couldn't even get a line of the guy's body type. Clothing bulky and body seeming slumped at times.

There was something about the guy but no matter how many times he watched the DVDs, Nate couldn't figure out what that something was. Then there was the fact that he disappeared into the hotel and never seemed to come out. Neither did he ever spot anyone fitting Chuck's description of Felix McCarty. It was as if the two men had disappeared into thin air.

The Palace's security team had turned up nothing with their discreet search of different floors and hidey-holes within the hotel. They'd talked to the staff but no one seemed to have seen anything and all of the guests…well with the exception of McCarty himself were all accounted for.

This was the lead they'd been waiting for. Now if only he could get the pieces to fall in together.

His cellphone rang about a half a block away from Chuck's apartment. Nate was certain who it was even before he flipped it in his palm. "Hey."

"Nathaniel, I must tell you that your presence is in high demand. From the guest of honor herself to little Humphrey." Chuck's voice came across the line.

"I'm just a few minutes out. I would've gotten here earlier but traffic…is well…traffic. But hey New Year's Eve in Manhattan." Nate shrugged, "Guess I'm lucky we made it this far."

"Anything new?"

"Not yet. But I may have something. I'll talk to you and Dan when I get there. See what you think."

"All right. We're all waiting."

"Glad to know I was missed."

"But of course, dear Nathaniel. How could you expect anything less?" His best friend laughed, "I'll see you when you get here…just make it soon."

Nate shook his head, smiling in the dark as silence fell around him once more.

~ஐ~

Serena forced a smile, watching her best friend flit from one corner of the room to another. The classical music that had filtered through the room earlier was now quiet, overpowered by the throb of steady conversation and laughing voices.

Once or twice, she'd looked around to find Dan watching her but so far he hadn't approached her again. She wanted to apologize but what could she say. God, he didn't even live in New York anymore.

What would be the point of jumping off that particular cliff again?

"You're not fooling anyone."

Serena looked up to see Jenny only a few feet away. How the younger woman had somehow managed to move from clear across the other side of the room without Serena noticing only went to show how out of it she actually was. Still she tried to play it off, her mouth stretching into another smile that felt too heavy to bear. "I'm sorry, Jenny. What?"

"I said that you're not fooling anyone."

"I don't know about that. You're the only one who seemed to notice."

Jenny followed the other girl's eyes to first Blair and then Lily Bass, both seeming completely involved in the conversations around them. "Who do you think sent me over here?"

"Blair."

"Who else? Your best friend certainly hasn't forgotten how to dole out marching orders." The younger woman sighed.

"I thought you stopped taking orders from Blair a long time ago."

"I did, but it suited me to work with her this time. You're my friend too. So tell me. What'd he do now?"

Blue eyes automatically sought out her old boyfriend, though her expression and manner was nonchalant. "I'm sorry. I don't know what you're talking about, Jenny."

"You know I could always go back to Blair and tell her that you're being uncooperative. Then you'd have to deal with her. So I'd start talking if I were you. Why's my brother acting as crabby as…well as crabby as he used to act every time you guys were breaking up or fighting."

"We never fought."

"No, you just broke up. Now spill." Jenny demanded, "What'd my idiot brother do this time?"

Serena felt the sudden urge to jump to Dan's defense, "Don't call him that and he didn't do anything. I'm the one…well…let's just say that I called a halt to things before they could get out of hand."

"Why? What do you mean out of hand?"

"Just what I said. It'd be the worse idea in the world to let myself fall for your brother again. We've never been able to make things work for us and now we've got the added issues that he's in Chicago and I'm here. No. Better to not get things started again." Serena shrugged, reaching out for an hors d'oeuvre from a passing waiter.

"You're scared out of your mind." Jenny accused matter-of-factly.

"No, I'm just being realistic and acknowledging the facts. We're not in high school anymore and I can't be that girl again."

"But…"

"God, Jenny. Just stop. Please."

"I will. Let me just say one more thing."

"Okay. What is it?"

"What if it couldn't work before and you both needed to be away from one another. Lead separate lives before you could let yourselves fall in love with each other again. What if this time, after everything, you guys actually get things right?"

"And what if we don't?"

"But what if you do?" Jenny countered. "Now, I'm stopping now. I promise to mind my own business. Though, we both know you won't get the same kind of promise from Blair and I only beat Eric over here because the twins have him pinned down. You should at least pretend this is a party and now some form of water torture."

Serena forced a smile, "Better?"

The younger blonde merely smiled.

"Listen. Eric I can handle, but thanks for running interference for me with Blair. I don't need her worrying about me tonight. My best friend has enough on her own plate without having to worry about me, too. Blair's supposed to be relaxing and enjoying being back home."

"She's you friend. You'd do the same."

"True. Thanks again, Jenny."

Anytime, S." Jenny looked around the room, "Now, if you'd excuse me. I need to stop procrastinating and corner your brother."

For a moment, Serena forget her own growing list of issues. "Why? Is everything okay? Is that arson investigator still calling you?"

"What? Oh, no. I haven't heard anything from him. Not since our first talk. No, I need to speak with Chuck about my getting back to work."

Automatically, Serena glanced down at the other blonde's injured hand, pulling a grimace of distaste from the younger woman that appeared more directed at herself rather than Serena.

"I can still work. My designs are all in here," Her uninjured hand flexed, fingers tapping her temple. "I'll have to get someone else who I can dictate my designs to…or who can sew when I need them to. It'll be different, but I can still work."

The way she said _work _sounded more as if she meant _live_. "I'm glad you're dealing with this straight-on. And I'm certain that Chuck will help however he can." Serena saw him disappear down the hallway, heading for the kitchen. "And you'd better catch him now."

"I'm off. Think about what I said."

"I will." Serena said, giving Dan's little sister a gentle push toward the kitchen.

Without a hitch in her step, Jenny squared her shoulders and followed Chuck. She briefly caught Blair's eye as she passed, nodding slightly, letting the brunette know that she'd spoken to Serena as asked. Not that she wouldn't have done it on her own.

Serena missed nothing of the byplay between the other two women and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. When Blair glanced her way though, Serena knew that it was only a matter of time before her best friend came over on her own to find out all the juicy details. She suspected that her bestie wasn't too far from the truth already as the brunette glared at the back of Dan's head.

"Stop it." Serena mouthed when Blair looked her way again.

Her best friend was the picture of innocence as she mouthed back, "What?" The evil glint in her eye giving her away.

"B…"

Across the room, Blair smiled and made a beeline for Dan.

"Damnit." Serena moved to cut her off at the pass. Only she found Dorota blocking her path.

"Miss Serena. Telephone for you…it's Alex's papa."

"Thank you, Dorota."

The maid didn't head back over to where her date was chatting with Roman and Eric's boyfriend. Instead she headed for the kitchen, whispering instructions to one of the cater waiters as she passed.

Bringing the phone to her ear, Serena tracked Blair's movements. Her entire body tense as Blair tapped Dan's shoulder, her smile dagger sharp and seeming to be dipped in sweet poison.

Dan's back was to her, but Serena could read every nuance of her best friend's expression. And Blair looked all too pleased with herself. Not good. Not good at all. Sure Blair had only been awake for about a week but her claws were as sharp as ever.

"Carter, what is it?"

"Come downstairs." He said, ensuring Serena's complete attention with those two words.

"What?"

"I said come downstairs. Unless of course you've changed your mind and can't be bothered with Alex after all."

"One…my son isn't a bother and if you ever feel he is, then tell me and we'll permanently rectify the situation."

"That's not what I meant. I just meant that if timing wasn't convenient for you after all…"

Convenient? Bother? Serena shook her head, but didn't say anything this time.

"I thought you wanted him."

"I do. Stay there. I'm coming down."

"Don't bother. I'll come up." Carter told her.

"Not the best idea. Just stay there." Serena disconnected before he could say otherwise. She couldn't help smiling, though. Alex. Her Alex was there after all. Things were looking up. She realized that she'd already started walking before hanging up in Carter's ear and she was halfway to the elevator.

For the second time that night, her heart jumped in surprise when she stepped onto the elevator and turned to find herself not alone as Dan slipped in before the doors could close.

"What are you doing?"

"What are _you _doing? You don't have to cut out on your best friend's party. I'll leave. Eric can make sure Jenny gets home."

Serena cleared her throat, "I—uh. I wasn't leaving. Carter's downstairs. He brought Alex to me after all…he was being difficult about it earlier, but now…"

"Oh."

Teeth chewing nervously at her bottom lip, she wondered aloud, "So. You were just going to leave if I wanted. Abandoning your little sister."

"I wasn't abandoning her. Eric would've seen her home. Or Nate when he gets here."

"What'd Blair say to you?" Serena couldn't help demanding, and her curiosity ripened threefold when Dan stiffened. She could almost swear he was blushing. What in the world was that about?

"Huh?"

"Dan…what'd she say. Do I need to apologize? I'm sorry, really. She just gets protective."

"I know. She's your friend. You'd have done the same, but it was nothing really. She just reminded me of a conversation we had a long time ago."

"About?"

"You…her and Chuck. Well. More me and Chuck."

Blue eyes blinked in confusion. His words sinking in and yet making no sense at all. "What…"

He reached out and hit the emergency stop button, jolting the elevator car to a halt. "I'm not a coward, Serena."

"I never said you were."

Dan didn't say anything and she wondered if maybe it was himself that he was trying to prove to himself. He advanced on her. Taking one step and then another until they stood close enough to touch. "I'm not a coward…"

"Is that what Blai…"

He kissed her, stealing away the rest of what she might've said. One strong hand against her nape, pulling her head down to his as he tried deepening the kiss, drinking her in.

And just like that, Serena couldn't remember a single reason why they shouldn't be together like this. Not even one. She sighed against his mouth, wanting more, needing more.

She was definitely going to have to thank her bestie for butting in this time around. Definitely.

~ஐ~

"What the fuck are you doing here, Baizen?" Nate glared at the other man. He'd spotted him almost immediately, upon entering Chuck's building. His back to Nate as he studied one of the paintings gracing the walls.

"Language…" Carter censored, as he stepped aside enough for Nate to glimpse the little boy bouncing slightly, legs kicking out on one of the lobby's settees.

"Uncle Nate."

"Hey, kiddo."

Alex would've scampered down from where his father had set him and gone racing over to his Uncle Nate, but his father held him there with a lightly restraining hand.

The little boy glanced between them in confusion, his displeasure clear in his expression.

"Stay there, Alex. I need to have a word with Nate. Okay, buddy?"

Alex nodded, arms crossing his chest and mutiny already burgeoning in his light eyes. The little boy already seemed to be weighing his options. Waiting for his father to turn before he dared try making a move again to his Uncle Nate.

"I don't have anything to say to you. Are you dropping Alex off? I can take him upstairs and you can be on your way."

"You don't have to speak. Let me." Carter took another step closer to Nate, heedless of Nate's fists curled at his sides. "Can we?" He motioned for a spot just out of earshot of the little boy watching them both.

Nate couldn't figure what the hell this bastard could possibly have to say to him. Just that day, he'd learned that the son-of-a-bitch had slept with Vanessa with the intention of using it to strike out against Nate. Using the destruction of his marriage like some kind of weapon.

God, he wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around the bastard's goddamn neck. Forget trashing the bar at the Palace. He wanted to trash, Baizen's face.

"What the fuck do you want, Carter?" Nate demanded, wanting to get as far away from the other man as quickly as possibly.

"I owe you an apology."

Now that he hadn't been expecting.

"I just wanted to make sure that there were no hard feelings, old buddy." Carter reached out, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Chicks come and go. Especially when you're talking about someone like Vanessa. That wasn't going to last. Hell, perfect first marriage material."

No hard feelings? That was his idea of an apology. Really?

"You guys were done anyway and I figured why not. Better me than somebody else, you know?"

"Are you for real?"

"Come on. I fucking owed you one. Now we're even." Carter's mask of sincerity slipped just enough for Nate to see the other man's words for the utter bullshit it was. Just earlier that day, the cocky bastard had winked at him, knowing full well that Nate finally knew the truth. That Carter had put the final nails or rather screws to what was left of Nate's marriage.

"Carter. You need to get away from me. Like right now."

And there it was. That smile. "You can't really blame _me._ I draw the line at forcing women into my bed and Vanessa was more than willing. All I did was provide…an outlet of sorts for all of her marital frustrations."

Chest heavy, Nate tried to breath through the anger wanting to swallow him whole. All he could see was red and he felt like he might choke.

"She talked about you, you know? You're getting shot really fucked with her head and then she lost your kid. Twice. No way were you guys surviving that…not with your grandfather calling the shots. I did you a fucking favor. Gave you an out. You should be thanking me, Archibald."

Dimly he heard the elevator chime its arrival, but his entire focus was on the bastard standing all too close. And the satisfying crunch of bone and flesh under the weight of his swinging fist. At first everything went utterly still. Then all hell seemed to break loose.

Nate was swinging again, even as a child's cry rang out, filling the lobby. Alex, he thought, but forward momentum was already carrying him forward and he landed another blow. Blood spurted and Carter cursed as he took a swing at Nate.

"Nate…Carter. What are you doing? Dan!"

"Ma!!" Alex called out.

Then Nate wasn't hearing anything, nothing beyond the ocean roaring in his ears. Anger and frustration that made his display from the night before seem like child's play.

"Dan, do something."

Cooper. Nate cursed as the other man, scored a lucky blow that left Nate with the taste of his own blood in his mouth.

Alex's cries grew louder, despite his mother's best efforts to quell them. The doorman rushed forward while the girl at the front desk, hung back watching two combatants make a dive at one another.

God, this was bad. Really, really bad. Problem was…it felt too damn good to make himself stop.

~ஐ~

She danced to the side at the last moment, dodging the cater waiter that came hurrying out of the kitchen and balancing one tray high. "Sorry. Sorry. Totally my fault."

"No harm done." he said, his professional mask slipping for a moment as interest sparked in his dark eyes. He gave her the once over and pure male approval shone there. Then he seemed to remember where he was and what he was supposed to be doing.

Jenny smiled, watching the cute waiter hurry off. Hmm. Fashion wasn't the only part of her life where she'd been woefully out of commission on lately. Too invested in her spread in _Cosmo_ and working on her new collection for the Spring, her lovelife had fizzled to the point of becoming almost all but non-existent.

It seemed as if her career wasn't the only thing making a comeback. Her newly awakened libido sending her confidence through the roof, Jenny turned back to the kitchen. Now she just needed to talk to Chuck, see if he was ready to take a chance on her again.

The kitchen was empty, except for Chuck who stood watching the flat screen television on one wall, his phone at his ear.

"No. It's not one of mine." He was saying, his eyes glued to the news report flashing across the screen. A dour-faced reporter relayed the city's latest tragedy, fire trucks in the background. Flames bright and raging against the night sky. A blue ticker across the bottom of the screen, boasted at least five confirmed fatalities. "No. The definitely isn't among my holdings…what do you mean, how can I be sure. One, neither I nor my father would've found merit in investing in some fleabag motel. Two, I know every square inch of property that my company owns even a piece of…I made it my business to know even before the fucking police started sniffing around."

Jenny froze in the doorway, her eyes glued to the flames onscreen. So distant and harmless to her now, but she knew exactly what they'd feel like against her flesh. The pain and the burning stench of in her nostrils. Still she listened and heard Chuck's words. Remembered his reaction when he found out that the arson detective had been asking her questions. She realized the true reason behind her brother and Chuck suddenly spending so much time together and Dan's mysterious bout of errands.

The fire. Someone had set the fire…because of Chuck.

"Look, just keep your ear to the ground. With this new fire and if your people turn up anything on McCarty. He can't just have disappeared into thin air." He shoved the phone away, cursing softly.

"Do you know why this happened to me?" She whispered, cradling her bandaged hand.

"Jenny."

She gave him credit for not stalling or trying to convince her that she was jumping to the wrong conclusions. He didn't tell her that she'd misconstrued his words. "You know."

"We have an idea." He admitted, his eyes flickering again to the newscast on the screen.

"Someone set the fire on purpose. They torched my boutique…my home." _My body, _she tacked on silently. "Do you have any idea who did this?"

"No, but we think we know who might."

There was that "we" again, "You mean, you and my brother." Jenny clarified, "And Nate. No way he's not in on this, too."

Chuck looked almost grateful when his cell phone rang again, "I need to take this." He said, without even glancing at the caller ID. "Bass."

"It's me."

"Serena?" Chuck frowned. Why was his sister calling him from the next room and what the hell was all that noise.

"Chuck. It's Nate and Carter. Downstairs. You need to come now."

Was that Alex he heard wailing in the background, Serena murmuring words of comfort that had no affect on his nephew. Beyond that was the sound of further chaos, grunting and fluid string of curses. What the fuck was going on?

"I'm coming." Chuck assured her, long strides already carrying him beyond a curious Jenny.

"Hurry, Chuck. It's bad. It's really bad."

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it. More drama at Blair's party. The will they, won't they & should they? Of DS continues. I can tell you that things will get even more complicated in upcoming chapters and take a turn for the unexpected. Also now Jenny knows the secret…the fires were set because of her connection to Chuck and Bass Industries. Will this cause another set back for the young designer and her need to get back into the game. Blair is home and trying to figure out what that means. How to be a mother and share those duties with the boy she loved and the man she falling for all the same. Nate finally lost his cool and went for Carter's throat…it had to come. A guy can only take so much. Could it became a case, though of satisfaction now and more borrowed trouble for later. Only time and more chapters will tell the story. Hope you enjoyed this. As always, let me know what you're thinking. Will update ASAP. ;) Later, ya'll.

Courtney


	36. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except a great love for CB and the many inhabitants of the UES

**A/N: **Unbelievable how much time has passed. So much has changed since this story began years ago. One thing that never changed was how much I adore this couple. Good times and bad. Thank you to all those who reached out to me in the past and quite recently to let me know just what this story has meant to you. I took a break from it to devote my complete attention to my graduate work and then came the season from hell (aka Season 5). The characters did keep pulling me back though every now and again and I told myself that I'd finish it maybe just for me…thinking that perhaps it'd been far too long since my last update and that people no longer cared or remembered. But again I've had some encouragement recently letting me know that you have not forgotten Chuck and Blair or their Kat and Evie. This one is for all of you and most specifically for ireallyamsorry (thnx bb)

Okay, now it's been a while so please be gentle and more importantly…ENJOY!

* * *

**Chapter 35**

One minute Blair was watching the twins dance with their grandfathers, the little girls trying to teach Cyrus and Harold some complicated dance step that they'd learned. She was doing her best not to burst out laughing, they looked so earnest in their attempts to impress the two little girls. Eric and his boyfriend shared a look, while Lily and Roman cheered them on.

Blair looked around, realizing for the first time that their group was down by four. Of course, she'd watched, surprised by her sense of satisfaction when Dan had left with Serena. Now she couldn't seem to find Chuck. Or Jenny for that matter.

For the first time that night, she saw her former maid actually sitting down and talking to her date. Blair couldn't help smiling, as she listened with half an ear to the back and forth between the two servants. There was a superior look on the older woman's face as she motioned to her charges. There was an air of playful competition about them that felt all too familiar to Blair.

Where in the world was Bass? Blair stood slowly, moving from the comfortable spot she'd found for herself earlier. "Excuse me. Have you seen, Mr. Bass?" She pulled one of the waiters aside.

"Kitchen." He told her.

"Thank you." Blair said, only realizing after he'd moved away that she hadn't a clue where the kitchen might be. Unlike the apartment downstairs, Blair hadn't taken a step beyond the main room of Chuck's apartment. Not that she wasn't dying to see every inch of the place that was now home, but there was no time. First the girls and then her father.

"That way, miss." Her waiter was back, pointing the way. As if he somehow knew that she wouldn't know the way. She'd somehow given herself away that she didn't belong.

Blair thanked him with a dismissive smile, not wanting to take the time to delve into her sudden bout of insecurities. She hurried in the direction he'd pointed out and almost ran right into her quarry as he came striding from the kitchen. "Chuck, there you are…what's wrong?"

"Can't talk now, Waldorf. I'll be right back."

"Oh, no you don't." Blair hurried after him, vaguely aware of Jenny following them both.

"Not now, Blair."

She latched onto his arm and dug her heels in.

"Dammit, Blair."

She held on, matching him glare for glare. "Don't take that tone with me, Charles Bass. Something's wrong and I want to know what it is. No more secrets. Remember?"

"Come on then. I can't give you any details right now because I'm not sure what the fuck is going on, but Serena called me. Nate's downstairs with Carter Baizen."

"What?" Blair faltered. That wasn't good. Definitely not good. "Jenny, could you tell Lily and my father that something came up. We'll be back, as soon as, possible."

Jenny nodded, "I will. Just keep me posted."

Neither Chuck, nor Blair spoke during the ride downstairs. Chuck didn't seem inclined to tell her anything more than he'd said already. She tried reading his expression but he'd shut down on her. His features was set in an impassive mask, but there was tension in the slant of his shoulders as if he prepared himself for whatever they were stepping into.

The elevator opened and almost immediately they saw Serena. The blonde paced back and forth with Alex in her arms. The little boy sniffling against his mother's neck.

"S…" Blair was on the move almost immediately, making a beeline for her best friend.

Meanwhile, Chuck hung back, drinking in the scene. His eyes lingered only briefly on his sister and nephew, taking inventory. Neither seemed the worse for whatever had gone down but they were okay. Where in the hell was his best friend? Long strides carried him across the lobby, "Where's Nate?"

She tipped her head towards the front entrance. "Out there. The doorman and Dan tried to get them separated and they all ended up outside."

"Separated? Nate went after Carter?"

"Yea." Serena nodded, jerkily

"What the hell was Baizen doing here, anyway?" Chuck demanded.

"I asked him to drop Alex off but that was earlier and he said no…god this is my fault. I wasn't thinking. Chuck, you need to get out there. Like now."

"I'm on it. You guys stay inside."

"But…"

"Blair, I mean it. For me."

"Chuck, the police are out there, too." Serena called out as he neared the entranceway.

"Fuck." He cursed, seeing the patrol car almost immediately. His best friend was stowed in the backseat, while Dan Humphrey was talking quietly with one of the officers. Brooklyn was motioning to Nate and then to Carter who was slumped against another patrol car, his face bloody and arm cradling his ribs.

Chuck took some satisfaction in that his best friend had gotten a piece of the bastard but at what cost. Dammit, Nathaniel.

The doorman was close-mouthed as he walked pass, but the man tipped his head in Chuck direction, their eyes catching briefly. That was one thing at least he wouldn't have to worry about. The staff at the apartment building were loyal employees and wouldn't say anything against Nate. Even if his best friend was at fault in this.

The same might not be said about, Dan Humphrey keeping his mouth shut about what the hell ever had gone down. He moved closer, listening in to see how much damage control he'd need to do.

"Mr. Baizen says your friend threw the first punch."

Dan rolled his eyes, "Mr. Baizen isn't exactly known for being a man of his word."

"So you're saying he's lying."

"Um…well."

"Were you present or not Mr. Humphrey?"

"Why the hell are you asking him anything? He's going to lie to cover for his friend." Carter yelled out, "Why the fuck hasn't an ambulance been called already? I told you what happened. _Officer_ Archibald attacked me and threatened my life. Arrest him, already or are you people already planning on covering this up…"

"Mr. Baizen, no one's covering anything up. We're just trying to sort out exactly what happened here."

"I told you what happened. Do you people have any idea who my family is…" Carter was saying, then he caught sight of Chuck. "Bass, I should've known you'd show your face."

"I live here. You don't. This is personal property and Nathaniel is an invited guest." Chuck murmured. He approached the officers, "Charles Bass. This is my building."

"Don't even try it, Bass. You can't talk your boy out of this one." Carter said, "I was minding my own business…waiting for Serena. Your good friend assaulted me in front of my kid and I want his fucking badge."

"Look." Chuck turned his back dismissively on the other man, before he said something that would dig Nate's current hole, even deeper. "Officers. I certain that if we can just all sit down and speak reasonably about this that we can get things settled here and now. Talk to the doorman. Talk to Serena van der Woodsen. I'm sure they'll be able to tell you the truth of the entire situation."

"You mean they'll lie."

Chuck resisted the urge to tell Baizen to "shut the fuck up." He'd deal with that asshole soon enough. God knew he'd been tempering himself over the years for Serena and Alex's sake. Now the gloves were off. Nate wouldn't have gone after Baizen without provocation. Especially not in front Alex. Carter must've pushed and pushed, hiding behind Alex's presence like a shield but looked like he might've pushed just a little to hard.

"Actually, Mr. Bass. We'll be taking Mr. Baizen and Officer Archibald to the station…"

"Are you certain that's really necessary? It's New Year's Eve. I sure that it'd be easier for everyone all around if we settled this here and now." Chuck said.

The younger man shook his head in regret. "Sorry, Mr. Bass, but we already called it in. Besides, Officer Archibald's lieutenant just talked to my partner and he wants him brought in."

Fuck. From bad to worse. "I understand your predicament, Officer. Do you think it would be okay if I spoke with Nathaniel for a moment."

The officer thought about it for a moment but couldn't seem to find fault with the request.

His best friend looked utterly miserable, Chuck thought as he got a closer look at the other man. His head was buried in his hands.

Chuck raised his fist to knock on the glass, but his friend didn't look up immediately. He tried again, calling Nate's name.

His best friend looked up, his face twisted and worried. He looked as if he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders, leaving Chuck to wonder if he was thinking about his ruined marriage or the career that could very well be crumbling before his very eyes. Despite the danger and less than cordial atmosphere at work, Nate seemed to really love being a cop. Chuck hated the idea that Carter might be responsible for taking this away from Nate on top of everything else.

"Are you okay?" He demanded softly, the window cracked enough that Nate shouldn't have any problems hearing his words.

"I've been better. Is Alex all right?" Nate asked, glancing towards the apartment building.

Sudden understanding flooded and Nate's tortured expression made even more sense. He wasn't worried about himself or his job that hung by a fraying thread. He was worried about the little boy inside, being consoled by his mother.

"Serena's got him. He'll be okay." Chuck assured. "Kids are more resilient than you'd think.

Nate shook his head, "I can't believe I just did that. Is Serena pissed?"

"Not at you."

"God, man. I wasn't thinking." Nate told him.

"So I gathered. It's going to be fine, Nathaniel. I'll take care of it." He assured his best friend.

The blonde man reacted almost immediately, vehement in his insistence that Chuck stay out of it. "No. No way, man."

"I'm helping you with this…"

"No, you're not. Look, I catch enough hell at work as it is with everyone thinking that I'm getting special treatment because of you and my grandfather calling in favors."

"They're full of shit, Nate. You've made it this far, this fast because you're good at your job. Never forget that." Chuck ground out, "Besides, you made me promise a long time ago that I wouldn't interfere and I've kept my word…"

"Thank you."

"Until now." He added quickly.

"Chuck, no."

"Nathaniel, yes. I'm not just going to stand by and let that piece of trash Baizen bring you down like this." Chuck leaned in close, his voice low and harsh. He'd been looking out for Nate since their first day of kindergarten. When the other boy had found himself being bossed around by a certain brunette. Poor Nathaniel hadn't known any better, so of course it'd been up to Chuck to put the saucy minx in her place. Of course both boys had gotten into trouble when those chocolate curls somehow ended up sticky with paste.

It hadn't be the most stellar of plans and yes they'd gotten caught but they'd been friends ever since. Yes, they'd had their personal battles and rifts in between but when it came down to it, Chuck couldn't leave his friend hanging. Not when he was in a position to help.

Nate groaned, recognizing the look on Chuck's face. The clenched jaw and the smile without humor. "Stay out of it, man. Please."

"No phone calls to city hall or special favors. I promise." Wicked intent in his tone, amber eyes focused on Carter, who was still playing up the injured party routine. "I simply plan on having an extremely long overdue…_civilized_ conversation with our old buddy Carter."

Chuck expression became particularly brutal even as he utter the word "civilized."

"Chuck. I appreciate the sentiment behind it, but talking to Carter won't do very much good. The damage is done. My lieutenant already knows something went down…"

"But not all the details. We can spin this, Nate. Just work with me." Chuck insisted, "What's the worse you could be looking at?"

"Besides actual jail time for assaulting that son-of-a-bitch. At best suspension. At worse…I'm out completely. It could cost me my badge."

Having suspected as much, Chuck let those words sink in between them. Glancing away from Carter, he looked at his best friend again. "So you've got more to lose by not letting me help you here."

"Yeah. I guess so. First, though. I want you to tell me exactly what you've got in mind for this _civilized_ conversation."

And there went that smile again, "Well to start…Santorini."

Nate blinked in confusion, not sure what his best friend was getting at. By his expression there was a wealth of meaning behind them. Something that could be used to get him out of this mess. Would he be better served better laying the truth bare before his superior and taking whatever punishment came down or by trusting his best friend to take care of Carter Baizen once and for all. Thinking of all they'd been through during the years. Chuck always had his back. He knew that and he couldn't stop trusting in that now. Fuck anyone who had a problem with it. They already called him Richie Rich to his face and behind his back, maligned him for having his family and best friend pull strings on his behalf. Why the hell not let Chuck do his thing if it meant holding on to his job.

"Do it."

Chuck didn't wait. He didn't ask if Nate was certain. "I need to grab a few things from upstairs. I'll meet you down at the station."

"You're not going to make it back here before midnight. Blair's going to be pissed."

"No, she won't. She's coming with you." The woman in question, clipped out in a tone that was not meant to be argued with.

Both men looked around, their expressions varying in degrees. Both wondering how long she'd been standing there.

"Hey, Blair."

"Nate." She didn't smile. Instead she looked between them, jumping into the fray with her next words. "Now what's this about Santorini and how can we use it to make Carter back off?"

"I don't suppose it would do much good for me to ask you to stay here." Chuck muttered.

"Complete waste of time and breath."

"You're going to miss your first New Year's with the girls." He countered.

She shook her head, "No, we've still got a few hours. You promised me that we'd all be together tonight."

Nate looked between them, taking in their stiff forms and polite facades, all the while war brewed in the matching glares they were sporting. "Um, maybe you guys should both just stay here after all."

"Don't be an idiot, Nate. We're coming to help get this all straightened out…Chuck's going to have his little chat with Carter and we'll come back here."

"Waldorf, your father is upstairs. As is Cyrus and Lily and Jenny. The twins. They're all here for you tonight. I swear. That I'll do everything within my power to make it back to you before midnight…"

"It's not about that anymore, Chuck. Not really." Blair huffed out, the air fogging out in the chilly night arm. She wrapped her arms about herself and Chuck immediately shrugged off his suit jacket, throwing it across her shoulders before she could think to protest. "I don't want to be left on the sidelines again. Nate's my friend, too. He's in trouble and I want to help."

"Blair, I appreciate that more than you could understand, but having you there is just going to add to the confusion." Nate said. "Listen to Chuck. Don't miss tonight with Kat and Evie. They've been looking forward to it, more than you could know. On second though, maybe you know exactly how much. Besides, Serena might need help with Alex. I'm afraid that Carter and I may have done a number on the kid."

"He'll be okay, Nate." She turned to Chuck. "Details. The minute you get back."

"Of course."

Minutes later, both patrol cars were pulling off with Nate and Carter in the backseat. Blair returned to the lobby with Dan and Serena to find out what they knew, getting only details of the fight that had been in full progress when they arrived downstairs. They spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb the little boy, resting against his mother's shoulder. Meanwhile, Chuck made it upstairs and back before they even knew he'd gone, a brown envelope tucked under one arm.

He left her with a quick kiss, telling her to head back upstairs. "Before midnight. I'll be back."

"You'd better. You still owe me a dance."

"You'll get it. I promise." He left them there in the lobby, motioning for Dan to take them all back upstairs.

On the elevator ride up, Blair suddenly asked. "S. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you spend some time with Carter in Santorini a few years back."

The blonde paled, eyes going wide as she suddenly found reason to look everywhere except at Blair or Dan.

"S?"

"B…it was a long time ago and why in the world are you even asking?"

"Because, Chuck is on the verge of using it as a trump card to get Nate out of trouble. Is it enough to make Carter back off?"

"Oooh. I'd say that was a definite yes." Serena nodded, "But don't ask me for details. Like I said. It was a long time ago and I'd really like to forget that it ever happened. Lucky for Nate that Carter feels exactly the same."

Blair frowned thoughtfully.

"How in the hell did Chuck find out anyway?" Her friend demanded.

"I…"

"Nevermind. I don't want to talk about it. Forget I asked. I'm going to lay down with Alex for a while. "

The three adults were all quiet. Blair and Dan watching Serena with speculation, wondering what could have happened to Serena and Carter in Santorini. What had put that strained expression in her friends eyes and wound her so tight that Blair was tempted to take Alex from her arms. Afraid her friends would tighten like a vise about the sleeping child's body, but just as she was about to react out, Alex snored softly, drawing his mother's attention.

Serena brushed a kiss across her baby's forehead, her arms loosening around him as she shifted her burden.

They made it back upstairs, Serena heading straight for the stairs.

Blair let her friend go. Remember her friend's words that she wanted to lay down with Alex. More like re-group. Instead the brunette looked to the party that she'd left in full bloom and saw that things had fizzled considerably.

Lily spotted them first and was hurrying after her retreating daughter, following the younger woman upstairs. Blair's "three dads" cornered her a while almost immediately, wanting to know what was going on, where she and Chuck had disappeared to with Serena and Dan. Why Chuck had returned, barely uttering a word and leaving as quickly as he'd come.

She didn't answer them immediately, brown eyes straying about the room. Neither Dorota, nor her beau were anywhere in sight. This time it was Eric's boyfriend who was left to drift on his own, while it seemed that Kat and Evie had commandeered their Uncle's attentions. The twins were settled on either side of their Uncle Eric, flickering between one New Year's party after another, watching the newsfeed from Australia and London where the New Year had already arrived and celebrations were in full swing.

Harold called her attention back, peppering her with questions until she offered what distracted answers she could. She remained close-mouthed about Chuck's ace in the hole. Truthfully, she wouldn't have known what to tell them about Serena, Carter, and Santorini, anyway.

Soon enough her father and Cyrus seemed to forget that she was even there as they began discussing the possible legalities and what backlash Nate might be facing. Blair might've found some humor in listening to the two corporate attorneys talking as if they'd come straight from the set of _Law & Order_ or some other legal drama. But this was one of her oldest friends. Chuck's best friend in the world.

Blair drifted away from them and the two men didn't even seem to notice. She saw that Roman had gone to sit with Eric's boyfriend, and Dan was off in one corner with his sister. The two Humphreys seemed to be immersed in conversation. Whatever was being said, little J didn't look the least bit happy about it and made no bones about letting her big brother know about it.

She shook her head, not even bothering to speculate. She had more than enough to worry about without delving into Humphrey family drama. Instead, Blair joined her daughters and their uncle on the couch. She bothered making no sound of protest when Eric vacated his spot between Kat and Evie, leaving room for their mother. Her mouth stretched into a grateful smile as sank down beside them.

Blair gazed at the celebrations shown from abroad and marveled at the fact that Chuck had kept his promise and made it all the way back from Prague and yet it looked as though there were to miss another New Year together after all. She sighed, "Happy New Year, Bass."

"Not yet, Mommy." One of the twins piped up, making a face as if Blair was being silly.

"Soon though, Evie."

"Are you going to kiss Daddy at midnight like on TV?" Kat wanted to know.

I hope so, Blair grimaced before she could catch herself, bringing twin frowns of confusion to her daughters' little faces. "I don't know. Daddy had to go help Uncle Nate with something, but I'd rather kiss you guys, anyway."

"Me too. But don't worry. He'll be back and then you can kiss Daddy, too." Evie told her. "You'll see. Just like on TV."

She couldn't exactly tell them that life didn't exactly follow the dictates of a script, leaving them with a happily ever after or all being right with the world at that perfect moment. They'd learn that for themselves in years to come. No matter how hard she or Chuck worked to shield them from it—their little girls would learn that harsh lesson.

It wouldn't be today though, she assured herself. So she nodded, allowed herself to be convinced by their confidence.

He'd come through. Not just for her, but for Evie and Kat, too. He would.

* * *

**A/N**: For purposes of this story which started long before we actually found out what really happened on the show…Santorini has nothing to do with Serena's search for Daddy Dearest. Will update as soon as I can. Most definitely before 2 more years pass.


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